ShareThisWith California in the throes of a drought, Congress is being urged to ease federal pumping restrictions that are impacting the state's shrinking water supply.
Pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta -- the core of the state's water system -- have been virtually halted under a federal ruling to protect threatened and endangered fish species such as the Delta smelt. The tiny silver smelt, found only in that estuary, are sucked into the powerful pumps that move water uphill into canals that carry it south.
Federal scientists say the smelt, believed to be an indicator of the overall health of the Delta, are close to extinction.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a statewide emergency due to drought and warned of the possibility of water rationing. Meanwhile, recent estimates show that about 250,000 acre-feet -- more than 83 billion gallons -- of water have been lost to the Pacific Ocean because of the smelt ruling, California GOP Rep. Ken Calvert said.
"Absent the federal restrictions, the quarter-million acre-feet of water could have been exported to water users throughout the state," said Calvert, who favors easing pumping restrictions. "This is enough water to meet the water needs of half a million people for a year."
Calvert and other House Republicans said the restrictions amount to the federal government putting the well-being of fish before people, who are suffering from the affects of a third consecutive year of drought in California.
During a House Natural Resources Committee hearing to address the state's drought, Democrats on the panel this week pressed for a multifaceted strategy to combat the drought through water recycling, desalination and better water-storage programs.
"We must look toward a comprehensive solution," said Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif.. "We're at a critical time right now with the drought. We have to look at the effect it's having on California right now."
Still, Calvert and others said turning the pumps back on is a needed short-term solution for a problem that is only getting worse. "Folks, get ready, your water prices are going to skyrocket," Calvert said.
To drive home their point, Republican witnesses at the hearing -- who included Reps. Devin Nunes, George Radonovich, and Wally Herger-- brought with them a fishbowl containing several Delta smelt and placed it on the table during the hearing.
As he finished his testimony, Nunes said he wanted to submit the fish for the official record.
"You can have them, we don't want them," Nunes told Democratic Rep. Grace Napolitano.
Napolitano responded, "Thank you for your testimony, and I suggest you take the cover off so they can get some air."
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Must credit The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, Calif.
Pretty sad when fish saved and people are sacrificed
I guess we must be living in Nazi Germany.