<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="State"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="Street"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="address"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PersonName"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
h2
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:bold;}
p.MsoEnvelopeAddress, li.MsoEnvelopeAddress, div.MsoEnvelopeAddress
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:2.0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black;}
p.MsoEnvelopeReturn, li.MsoEnvelopeReturn, div.MsoEnvelopeReturn
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAutoSig, li.MsoAutoSig, div.MsoAutoSig
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p.dtlcomment, li.dtlcomment, div.dtlcomment
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p.byline1, li.byline1, div.byline1
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:1.8pt;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:10.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;}
p.date1, li.date1, div.date1
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:windowtext;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
span.EmailStyle26
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:blue;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on"><b><font size=4
face=Arial><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>California</span></font></b></st1:State></st1:place><b><font
size=4 face=Arial><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'> can grow more food AND take less water from the delta<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=byline1><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Heather
Cooley,Juliet Christian-Smith<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=date1><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>Monday,
September 8, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><hr<!--/.articleheadings --><!-- types/article/articletools.tmpl -->
size=3 width="100%" align=center> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=0 width=78
style='width:46.9pt'>
<tr height=19 style='height:11.3pt'>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
<td height=19 style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:11.3pt'><!-- types/ads/pages/oas/oas_rich.tmpl -->
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>We can do
<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> with less.
Nations in drier climates around the world and forward-thinking farmers in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place> already are
using less water to <strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">grow</font></b></strong>
<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> crops - with
greater profits. It is time for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>
to implement economic and environmental policies that encourage farmers to use
water <strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong>
efficiently, both for the good of the environment and to sustain a robust
agricultural sector. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Verdana'>
<hr size=3 width="100%" align=center>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:4.8pt'><b><font
size=1 color="#222222" face=Arial><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:
Arial;color:#222222;text-transform:uppercase;font-weight:bold'><!-- /templates/types/article/object_lib.tmpl --><!-- end /templates/types/article/object_lib.tmpl -->Images<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'><a
href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/09/08/EDTK12OSFV.DTL&o=0"><font
size=1 color="#015660"><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#015660;text-decoration:
none'><img border=0 width=64 height=64 id="_x0000_i1050"
src="cid:image001.gif@01C911A4.7FEA73B0"
alt="Drip irrigation delivers water as needed to the vines and..." class=thumb></span></font></a><a
href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/09/08/EDTK12OSFV.DTL&o=1"><font
size=1 color="#015660"><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#015660;text-decoration:
none'><img border=0 width=64 height=64 id="_x0000_i1051"
src="cid:image002.gif@01C911A4.7FEA73B0"
alt="Microirrigation can eliminate the need for flood irrigati..." class=thumb></span></font></a><a
href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/09/08/EDTK12OSFV.DTL&o=2"><font
size=1 color="#015660"><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#015660;text-decoration:
none'><img border=0 width=64 height=64 id="_x0000_i1052"
src="cid:image003.gif@01C911A4.7FEA73B0"
alt="Siphon tubes are used to raise water without pumps from a..."
class=last-thumb></span></font></a><a
href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/09/08/EDTK12OSFV.DTL&o="><font
size=1 color="#015660"><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:#015660;text-decoration:
none'><img border=0 width=7 height=7 id="_x0000_i1053"
src="cid:image004.gif@01C911A4.7FEA73B0" class=plus>View Larger Images</span></font></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Verdana'>
<hr size=3 width="100%" align=center>
</span></font></div>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><!-- begin: /templates/types/widgets/pages/related_links/rss.tmpl --><!-- related_links/opinion/index.html generated by news_opinion_rl on Mon Sep 8 11:12:27 2008 -->The
Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is in a state of crisis, both as an
ecosystem and as a water supply. Almost half of the water used for <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>'s agriculture
comes from rivers that once flowed to the delta, and <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> than half of Californians rely
on water conveyed through the delta for at least some of their water supply. It
is imperative that we recognize what both the recent court decisions and the scientists
are saying: We're taking too much water from the delta. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Given
that agriculture accounts for about 80 percent of delta water consumption,
reducing withdrawals from the delta will inevitably affect farmers. We have two
options, two very different paths to reduced agricultural water use. One is to
choose to let events evolve as they will, which may lead to growing disruptions
in the agricultural sector, uncertainty about the reliability of <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">food</font></b></strong> production, and the weakening
of a vital component of our traditional economy. The other is to work toward a
carefully planned and efficient agricultural sector, long-term protections for
land and water resources, and the production of <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> high-valued crops grown with
efficient irrigation systems that are effectively managed to respond to weather
and crop conditions. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>By
changing what crops are grown and how we <strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">grow</font></b></strong>
them, the report concludes that we can achieve substantial water savings,
ranging from 0.6 million to 3.4 million acre-feet of water annually, and for
far less than building new, centralized water storage. In fact, if we look at
water savings in "dam equivalents," the scenarios examined in the
study could save as much water as three to 20 dams the size of those being
proposed.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>But for
the agricultural sector to make such adaptations and investments, the state
needs to implement policies and incentives that support water conservation and
efficiency improvements. Farmers are already trying to undertake many of these
strategies, but they need to overcome some difficult financial, legal and
institutional barriers.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>There are
numerous ways to move forward, including:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>-- The
state can offer tax exemptions and rebates for farmers who upgrade to <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> efficient irrigation systems.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>-- Courts
and regulators can apply <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>'s
water-rights laws <strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong>
rationally to ensure water is being used reasonably and beneficially.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>-- Water
use measurement and monitoring should be drastically improved. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>--
Misguided federal and state subsidies that encourage wasteful use of water can
be redesigned to encourage efficiency and conservation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Farmers
have been moving in the right direction for decades, growing <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">food</font></b></strong> with less water under difficult
conditions. Let's remove the barriers in their way and help them move even
faster.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Agricultural
water-use efficiency can be improved through careful planning, by adopting
existing, cost-effective technologies and management practices, and by
implementing feasible policy changes. Our findings show that it is possible -
indeed, far preferable - to take less water and still improve the delta's
economic and environmental conditions. Not only can we do <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> with less; we must do <strong><b><font
face="Times New Roman">more</font></b></strong> with less. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>A new
report from the Pacific Institute, "<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">More</font></b></strong>
with Less: Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place> - A Special Focus on the
Delta," offers a roadmap to the better option: significantly reducing
delta withdrawals and groundwater overdraft while still sustaining a strong
agricultural economy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=dtlcomment><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Heather Cooley and Juliet Christian-Smith are senior research
associates at the Pacific Institute, a nonpartisan research institute that
works to advance environmental protection, economic development and social
equity. The institute's new report, "More with Less," is available at
<a href="http://www.pacinst.org">www.pacinst.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></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=MsoAutoSig><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><i><font
size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:gray;font-style:italic'>Byron</span></font></i></st1:PersonName><i><font
color=gray><span style='color:gray;font-style:italic'> Leydecker</span></font></i></st1:PersonName><i><font
color=gray><span style='color:gray;font-style:italic'>, JCT</span></font></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray;font-style:italic'>Friends of <st1:place
w:st="on">Trinity River</st1:place>, Chair</span></font></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on"><i><font
size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:gray;font-style:italic'>PO Box</span></font></i></st1:Street><i><font
color=gray><span style='color:gray;font-style:italic'> 2327</span></font></i></st1:address><i><font
color=gray><span style='color:gray;font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><i><font size=3
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray;
font-style:italic'>Mill Valley</span></font></i></st1:City><i><font
color=gray><span style='color:gray;font-style:italic'>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State>
<st1:PostalCode w:st="on">94942-2327</st1:PostalCode></span></font></i></st1:place><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray;font-style:italic'>415 383 4810</span></font></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray;font-style:italic'>415 519 4810 cell</span></font></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray;font-style:italic'>415 383 9562 fax<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><i><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'>bwl3@comcast.net<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><i><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'>bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</span></font>
<font color=gray><span style='color:gray'>(secondary)<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><i><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue;font-style:italic'>http://www.fotr.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <i><font color=blue><span style='color:blue;font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>