30 Year Water Battle Ends in California

Finding a balance between water needs and environmental protection is always difficult, but the challenge increases when a large population center is also plagued with drought. After a 30 year legal battle, environmentalists and government officials finally came to an agreement over water use in California’s East Bay and Sacramento County.

Debate centered around a plan by the East Bay Municipal Utilities District to divert water from the American River to protect 1.2 million customers during times of drought. Instead it was agreed to use water from the Sacramento River, which will result in a lower environmental impact than taking water from the American. The compromise was reached after environmental groups and the EBMUD reached an agreement out-of-court, saving continued legal costs.

According to California Lt. Governor John Garamendi the state needs to find new ways to deal with water shortages. “Climate change is real. It will change everything we know about water in California. We know we will have 30 to 70 percent less snowpack. We know we will have greater floods. Every reservoir in California’s water system will have to be modified, we’ll have to engage in different water management techniques, we’ll have to redesign for capacity and flow. The change is happening today – right now the snow melts 2 weeks earlier than it did 10 years ago.”

Source: San Francisco Chronicle