Lloyd G. Carter, whose blog has the wonderful title, Chronicles of the Hydraulic Brotherhood, has a recent post in which he asks, "How about enforcing current water laws?" That's certainly a reasonable inquiry.
He begins:
Seventeen years ago, Patrick Porgans and I co-authored an article that ran at length in the Forum section of the Sacramento Bee. We argued then that new and proposed state and federal water marketing changes would enrich some people "by turning [publicly-owned] water into a freely transferable commodity."
Sadly, as proven by a recent below-the-radar $73 million water transfer from a small irrigation district in the western San Joaquin Valley to an urban district in the Mojave Desert, time has proven us right. Profiteering by buying cheap water from the public and selling it to the highest bidder is now making small groups of people enormously rich, to the detriment of farming, the Delta, and the state treasury.
An appropriate post for the holiday season, when gift-giving abounds.
Give it a read.
Sadly, as proven by a recent below-the-radar $73 million water transfer from a small irrigation district in the western San Joaquin Valley to an urban district in the Mojave Desert, time has proven us right. Profiteering by buying cheap water from the public and selling it to the highest bidder is now making small groups of people enormously rich, to the detriment of farming, the Delta, and the state treasury.
An appropriate post for the holiday season, when gift-giving abounds.
Give it a read.
And here's a letter he wrote to the New York Times in 1996. I keep thinking: the more things change, the more they remain the same.
"In regard to the identified illegal diversions, although I am obviously aware of them, the Division has not taken follow up action because of a lack of resources." - Vicky Whitney, Chief, Water Rights Divsion, California State Water Board (quoted in the article)
For me in light of what I feel was a less than positive recent meeting in Copenhagen, Lloyd Carter’s query … “Are California’s Water Laws Being Enforced …?” … should be expanded to at the very least include its neighbor – Arizona – which I feel I can add with a certain definiteness is hell no..
But then given that the prevailing Arizona mantra is grow, build, grow, build … water … in this mantra is merely another construction ingredient and nothing more.
That like California, Arizona, too remains within the bowels of a lingering drought honestly enforcing logical water laws does not appear to resonate on the radar screen of any of our state’s leaders except for select politically correct auspicious occasions.
But, before I tar and feather government regulators, it might be timely for me to take a look in the mirror and ask that reflection looking back at me whether he made any positive contribution in this regard…?
Respectfully,
PAUL F MILLER
http://waterman99.wordpress.com
Posted by: PAUL F MILLER | Monday, 28 December 2009 at 07:42 AM