Westlands Water District Files Lawsuit Against Delta Plan

Classic opening quote from the story:

Bill Jennings, executive director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, began his presentation in the public comment period of the Delta Stewardship Council meeting on May 16 by stating, "Good morning, welcome to the resumption of California's water wars."

Seems not many happy with the latest "comprehensive management plan" for the Delta.

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/05/28/18737482.php

Study: Cut in delta water use needed for fish

From the SF Chron. Sounds good, but two quotes sum up how far away a Delta solution still is:

"The board has finally put to rest the argument about whether the delta needs more water," said Cynthia Koehler, water legislative director with the Environmental Defense Fund. "You can't divert 50 percent of the flows and think the fish and ecosystem are going to be just fine."

"The information certainly is interesting and informative ... but it's immaterial," said Tom Birmingham, general manager of Westlands Water District, a sprawling agricultural zone in the Fresno area. "Protecting the public trust resources are not the only goals of the planning processes."

Interesting Water Deal

From the Fresno Bee - "Drawn together by water losses due to drought and endangered species protections, two fierce competitors for California's water are trying to cut a rare deal."

Westlands willing to trade away 1/3 of this year's water supply to the Metropolitan Water District (SoCal) in return for a guaranteed amount next year. A wet year makes for strange bedfellows.