Modernizing the Delta: Time for a Decision

By Jeffrey Kightlinger

***Editor’s Note: The following article is one viewpoint on the proposed California WaterFix project , the topic of our Head to Head feature in July. On July 25, an opposing viewpoint was published in the article “The Real Costs of the CA WaterFix.”

The decades-old water system in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that supplies water to two-thirds of all Californians is a classic case of aging infrastructure. The problem is compounded by a declining ecosystem and 1,100-mile levee system that are increasingly vulnerable. As a state, we now have the opportunity to modernize this system so it can continue to deliver water to 25 million Californians and millions of acres of farmland.

State and federal agencies have been working toward a solution for more than 10 years, a process that has included the most comprehensive environmental analysis ever undertaken for an infrastructure project.

The result is California WaterFix. The plan would construct new water intakes in the northern Delta, allowing many of the current problems to be avoided. There, water quality is healthier. It is outside of the area where many threatened native fish species like Delta smelt migrate. And it is north of the fragile levees in the Delta.

Under the plan, some of these vital water supplies would be safely transported through twin-tunnel pipelines up to 150 below the surface of the Delta. The footprint of this project is a fraction of the size once proposed for the system, so it avoids disruptions to legacy Delta communities while protecting our vital public water supply and making it more reliable. It also helps re-establish more natural flow patterns in this estuary and makes other restoration action to improve conditions for salmon, smelt and other vital species.

Public water agencies throughout the state that depend on supplies from the Delta would pay for this project. Those investment decisions are looming in the months ahead. Boards, including ours at The Metropolitan Water Agency of Southern California, will be thoroughly reviewing the project, including its operations and cost sharing arrangements.

The State Water Project provides about 30 percent of the Southland’s overall water supply. The region continues to reduce its reliance on imported water by conserving and producing more local supplies through recycling, ocean water desalination and groundwater clean-up. But our imported supplies remain an essential lifeline for growth, economic prosperity and maintaining the region’s livelihood.

This is the largest water investment decision of our generation, and the long-term impacts will be felt across millions of acres of productive farmland and in communities from Silicon Valley to San Diego. It reflects a delicate compromise to protect both fish species and public water supplies. Polls show an overwhelming majority of Californians are willing to invest in safer, more reliable water systems. California WaterFix represents an important opportunity to do just that and address one of the state’s most difficult resource challenges.

Jeffrey Kightlinger is general manager for The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The opinions in this article are presented in the spirit of spurring discussion and reflect those of the author and not necessarily the Treasurer, his office or the State of California.

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