Federal water officials: 'The pumps are on'
Only a quarter of the water delivery shortages for farmers can be blamed on water pumping restrictions, says the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
The bureau Thursday put out a statement titled: "Reality check: California's water crisis," in which it answers critics of the bureau's massive waterworks, called the Central Valley Project.
Critics for some time have been calling for the bureau to turn on the pumps, which were slowed and shut down earlier this year to protect dwindling fish species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
"The pumps are on," says the bureau. "The temporary restrictions that were required under the Endangered Species Act ended June 30."
Federal officials say 75% of the water shortages on the project are a direct result of the three-year drought, not pumping restrictions.
Comments:
The first biological study endeed in June. What they fell to say is that the second eviromental study begin next January, and thats when the pumps will be turn off again. Farmers need water to irrigate in the spring on the summer. They harvest in the fall, so if they turn the pumps on in the mid summer therre will be no crop to Harvest.
Posted by: Jared at September 19, 2009 2:19 PM
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