Rep. Thompson Issues Statement on San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act
“The San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act is nothing more than an attempt by powerful water districts south of the Sacramento River Delta to take water they aren't entitled to from farms to the north. H.R. 1837 looks to throw out long-standing state water law, gut the restoration of the San Joaquin River, and take water desperately needed for fisheries that are vital to coastal communities.
“This bill is a blatant move to siphon water from Northern California to irrigation districts that do not hold first rights to that water. It would do this at the expense of both farms and fish that generate billions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs.
“H.R. 1837 would discard decades of cooperation to solve the delta's water problems, undermine California's sovereignty and devastate water law principles. The coordination among state and federal agencies and stakeholders in the region built up during the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan would be undone by this bill, and the reliability of the state's water system would be compromised.
“Rep. Nunes' bill ignores current water law that ensures a fair and equitable distribution of water in Northern California and threatens to restart the water wars of the past. Instead, we should be working together to solidify the alliances that have been built to address the health of the delta, its farms and its fisheries.”