Hope is a Thing with Fins

Two weeks ago, the Bureau of Reclamation turned the valves on Friant Dam and sent a big shot of liquid hope down to the Delta.  This hope came in two forms.  First, the San Joaquin has suffered for years from excessive water withdrawals.  Returning water to 60 miles of dry river bed starts the process of reviving one of California’s great rivers and its salmon fishery.  Given that the San Joaquin is one of the major tributaries of the Delta, restoring flows will help this beleaguered ecosystem as well.

But the restoration of flows offers another form of hope for the Delta.  For two decades, the future of the San Joaquin River was the subject of a divisive political and legal battle, with NRDC leading the environmental and fishing community.  The other side included farmers and cities that rely on San Joaquin River water.  Many dismissed restoration as impossible.  The debate was not always polite.  But two years ago, after quiet and challenging negotiations, peace broke out.  A settlement was announced with the support of NRDC and our environmental and fishing coalition, as well as farmers, urban water users, the federal government, the Governor, legislators and many others.  Suddenly, everyone supported the restoration of the San Joaquin.  Today, water flows down that long neglected river.  Thus, the San Joaquin offers hope for a solution on one of the nation’s biggest water challenges – addressing the crisis in the San Francisco Bay-Delta. 

The good news is that today, there are signs of hope in efforts to reform state-wide water policy and address the Delta’s woes.  A month ago, the legislature failed to pass a water package (SB 68, authored by State Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg).  Over the past month, more stakeholders have had time to understand the comprehensive provisions of this bill. Today, the bill is supported by a remarkably diverse group of stakeholders, including environmental groups (NRDC, EDF, the Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy and The Bay Institute), as well as business groups (The Bay Area Council, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce) and water agencies (the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California).  Even the Westlands Water District supports the Delta agency reforms in this package.  As in the case of the San Joaquin, many of these stakeholders have fought for years over the future of the Delta. 

The legislature’s work is not yet completed and the current package is likely to be amended before it is considered again.  Its final provisions and final passage are far from assured.  However, it is possible that, as in the case of the San Joaquin, we may be close to a remarkable breakthrough – one that was considered impossible just a few months ago.