© 1997, 1998 Streamline Publications

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As we look toward a future of increased demand for water in this western desert, traditional Southern California supplies are drying up. California has already been routinely overdrafting its annual Colorado River allotment of 4.4 million acre-feet by up to 1.3 million acre-feet—30 percent! In wet years the river can sustain this thirst. In drier years, and as other neighboring states and Mexico demand their full share, California will no longer be allowed the extra ration.

Hostile Territory

Water from Northern California is becoming less certain. The current source, the San Francisco Bay Delta—fed by the Sacramento River—is becoming polluted. Mitigation efforts to restore habitat for endangered species in the delta reduce the amount of water that may be drawn for transport south in the 444 mile long California Aqueduct.

Recommendations for a canal—smaller, but similar to the ill-fated Peripheral Canal—are currently being studied before delivery to the legislature. The planned Peripheral Canal of the early 80s was authorized by state government but a vote of the people killed the project—pointing up the state's north-south rivalry over water. The purpose of such a canal is to bypass the San Francisco Bay delta and tap into the Sacramento River upstream, before it reaches the environmentally sensitive delta. Opponents are concerned that such a plan would continue to put stress on the delta, particularly in dry years.

There is also bitter sentiment in the north that Southern California water problems are not the north's concern. Such parochial feelings over water are exacerbated by periodic drought in the north as well as in the south.

Other Ideas

Other plans are periodically floated, including importing water from other states or Canada using pipelines, and tanker ships. Like a decades-earlier proposal to tow icebergs from Antarctica to Los Angeles to be melted for water, the practicality and cost effectiveness of such plans are questionable.

Reallocation of Southern California water may be a partial—and infinitely more feasible—answer. Farmers are currently the largest users, accounting for 70 percent of demand.

Shifting the Battle

Irrigation water has been artificially cheap, having been subsidized for many years by residential users. Cheap water for farming provides little incentive to conserve. Conservation and a reassessment of irrigation methods could free some of the farm water for use in cities without adverse effect on food production. Politically powerful agricultural interests have historically opposed reallocation or rate adjustment. Increased costs, they argue, could handicap American agriculture in world markets. However, some progress is being made on this front. A plan to redesignate some Imperial Valley irrigation water for city use has been negotiated with San Diego. The water would be transferred using the 242 mile long Colorado River Aqueduct.

Import Dependent

Many Southern California cities rely entirely on imported water delivered through the California, Colorado River and—from the eastern Sierra—Los Angeles aqueducts. The water is distributed to local water authorities by the LA Metropolitan Water District. In future, inevitable, drought conditions—such as occurred in the early 90s—reduced supplies statewide will have devastating effects. Yet, for the average citizen—who merely has to turn the tap to receive abundant flow—life continues in the southland as though nothing is the matter.

Rampant Growth

It is within this setting that Los Angeles County Supervisors gave initial approval to a new 70,000-resident housing development—Newhall Ranch—which will straddle the Santa Clara River in the Santa Clarita Valley. The river—the last undammed flow in Southern California—is the source of groundwater supplies for neighboring Ventura County and the downstream cities of Santa Paula and Ventura—both of which currently use no imported water.

In considering the Newhall proposal, LA Supervisor Mike Antonovich, in a motion to give county approval to the project, stated that "...the EIR for this project adequately demonstrates at this stage the feasibility of relying on imported supplies in conjunction with existing surface flows for the development's source of supply."

Once the project is underway and permits are needed for the various phases, the water issue will be reevaluated.

Ventura County has shown a willingness to sue over the environmental impact report that asserts the development will have no impact on downstream groundwater.

The Past and Future

Water has played an important in role in California history—from mission days; gold panning and hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush; and in development of a rich agriculture. Population growth after the turn of the century drove the quest for imported water and construction of William Mulholland's engineering marvel—the 338 mile long Los Angeles Aqueduct.

As long as there is a California, water will be the issue that divides it.

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