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<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><font size=4 color=black
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black;
font-weight:bold'>Group pulls out of water deal; <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Madera</st1:City></st1:place> district first to leave river
settlement<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on"><b><font size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Fresno</span></font></b></st1:City></st1:place><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'> Bee – 3/10/08<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><font size=4 color=black
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black;
font-weight:bold'>By Mark Grossi and Michael Doyle, the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Fresno</st1:City></st1:place> Bee</span></font></b><b><font size=4
color=black><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The Madera Irrigation
District is abandoning the hard-won agreement to restore the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
-- a sign of growing doubts about the plan among farmers whose support is
crucial. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>At stake is
the return of a regular water flow next year in the state's second-longest
river. The <st1:place w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:place> has been seasonally dry
in two major sections for decades since Friant Dam was built in the 1940s. The
flow was diverted to farm fields on the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>'s
east side. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Farmers and
environmentalists in 2006 signed an agreement to restore the river and salmon
runs, ending an 18-year legal fight. On average, farmers would lose almost 20%
of their river water. They agreed to the deal because they were afraid they
would lose more water if the decision was left to a judge. Nevertheless, they
continue to worry about how much water they are going to lose. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>For the past
18 months, lawmakers have been working on legislation to provide funding for
the agreement and possibly to replace some of the farm water supplies. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>With no final
bill to assure them that they could reclaim some of that restoration water, the
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Madera</st1:City></st1:place> district
decided to back out of the agreement last week at a board meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on"><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Madera</span></font></st1:City></st1:place><font
size=4 color=black><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> is the first
water district to take this action. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The agreement
requires a 30-day cooling off period during which the district will discuss its
issues with other water districts, environmentalists and the federal
government. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>"We need
to talk about our concerns," said <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Madera</st1:City></st1:place>
board president Carl Janzen. "Maybe we can settle this." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Many water
officials do not think the loss of one district will hurt the restoration
agreement. Most of the 18 farm water agencies involved still appear to support
the agreement, said Ron Jacobsma, general manager of the Friant Water Users
Authority, which represents all the districts involved. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>But the
concern is that farmers -- worried that they have no guarantee the water will
be restored -- will pressure other water districts to back out. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>On Friday,
the Friant governing board is scheduled to discuss restoration bill amendments
that may calm farmer fears. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The Friant
meeting will be in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Visalia</st1:City></st1:place>
behind closed doors because they are discussing legal action, though any
official action must be publicly announced. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Supporters of
the restoration bill in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Washington</st1:City>,
<st1:State w:st="on">D.C.</st1:State></st1:place>, say the project can legally
proceed even if several irrigation districts opt out. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>"I don't
suspect this will hold the process up," said Rep. George Radanovich,
R-Mariposa. Democratic Rep. Jim Costa of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Fresno</st1:City></st1:place>
agreed. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>But
Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of <st1:City w:st="on">Visalia</st1:City>, the
restoration effort's most vocal opponent among lawmakers, said <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Madera</st1:City></st1:place>'s disapproval alone
is enough to kill the settlement. He said Friant organization votes on the
legislation and the agreement must be unanimous to be valid. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Attorneys are
looking into whether Friant needs unanimous agreement among its board of
directors for the deal. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>To address
the farm water supply worries, Costa and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein have
prodded legislative negotiators to make the restoration bill stronger. They
pushed amendments to assure farmers that some restoration water will be
returned to fields after it has run through the river. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Negotiators
agreed to authorize up to $35 million from a federal restoration fund to
rehabilitate the Friant-Kern and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Madera</st1:City></st1:place>
canals, which deliver water to farmers. They also agreed to authorize such
projects as the ground-water bank that the Madera Irrigation District wants to
build. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Those
proposed amendments will be discussed Friday at the Friant meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>But many
farmers have been even more concerned since a federal judge last year ruled
that more water might be needed to protect fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin
River Delta. They worry that river restoration water will go to the delta for
the fish, not to their irrigation canals. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Farmer Kole
Upton, Chowchilla Water District board member, said he supports <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Madera</st1:City></st1:place>'s vote. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>"They're
the only ones who have done it so far," said Upton, who helped negotiate
the 2006 agreement but has changed his mind over the last several months.
"Chowchilla might do it. There may be others."</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><em><i><font size=3 color=gray
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Byron
Leydecker</span></font></i></em></st1:PersonName><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Friends of <st1:place w:st="on">Trinity
River</st1:place>, Chair</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on"><em><i><font
size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:gray'>PO Box</span></font></i></em></st1:Street><em><i><font
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'> 2327</span></font></i></em></st1:address><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><em><i><font
size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:gray'>Mill Valley</span></font></i></em></st1:City><em><i><font
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State>
<st1:PostalCode w:st="on">94942-2327</st1:PostalCode></span></font></i></em></st1:place><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 4810 </span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 519 4810 cell</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net">bwl3@comcast.net</a></span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org">bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</a></span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.fotr.org">http://www.fotr.org</a></span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.caltrout.org"></a></span></font></i></em> <o:p></o:p></p>
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