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<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>Editorial: Water wars impact big ag, fishing industry<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color="#888888" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#888888;font-weight:bold'>THE
HERALD'S VIEW<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>The <st1:City w:st="on">Monterey</st1:City>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Herald</st1:PlaceName></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color="#000088" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#000088'>Updated: 02/17/2010
01:28:49 AM PST<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext'><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext;font-weight:bold'>T</span></font></b><b><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana;font-weight:bold'>here are those
on the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Central</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Coast</st1:PlaceType>
who watch the growing water wars of 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>
and reflexively side with big agriculture because the controversy has been
overly simplified into a contest between farms and the "tiny delta
smelt." <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>Some might switch sides, or at least reserve judgment, if
they understood that the stakes include the salmon population and the coastal
fishing industry, both of which are struggling to survive. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>Much has been said and written about how a federal judge has
ordered the pumping reduced in the San Joaquin Delta to protect the little
smelt, which is of relatively little concern to anyone except biologists and
environmentalists. Much less information has been spread about how the rulings
by <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> District Judge
Oliver Wanger affect the fate of native salmon, which until recently played a
primary role in the Central and <st1:place w:st="on">Northern California</st1:place>
fisheries. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>Even while freshly hatched Chinook salmon congregated in the <st1:place
w:st="on">San Joaquin</st1:place> Delta, Wanger earlier this month temporarily
lifted pumping limits aimed at safeguarding the salmon. The huge delta pumps,
which push Northern California water southward to the giant farms of the San
Joaquin and the giant subdivisions of <st1:place w:st="on">Southern California</st1:place>,
had been set too low as part of the federal government's salmon management
plan, Wanger ruled. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>He found that salmon-saving pumping restrictions had been
created without enough analysis of alternatives and the impact on
humans—presumably including <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;font-weight:bold'>Members of the
fishing industry, an endangered species if there ever was one. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>Wanger's tentative ruling Feb. 5 was cheered by
representatives of the sprawling Westlands Water District, which has done an
artful job of making it appear that it was the pumping restrictions first
ordered in 2007 that devastated the valley's west side rather than seasonal
unemployment, drought and the general economic malaise. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>The water cutbacks had a significant effect on agriculture,
but not nearly to the extent depicted by the valley ag lobby. Some row crops
went unplanted, providing great photo opportunities for the public relations
campaign, which failed to let on that the same growers had diverted much of
their water allotments to protect more valuable orchards. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>Valley farmers in recent years have added more efficient
irrigation systems, but they have planted thousands of acres of water-thirsty
almonds and oranges. We have always been great champions of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State> agriculture, but that doesn't
mean we support unsustainable cultivation practices and inefficient crop
choices. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>Until his most recent ruling, valley agriculture vilified
Wanger as a tree-hugging liberal when he actually is a rather conservative Bush
appointee who has based his various rulings on a strict reading of water laws
and environmental regulations. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>How he rules next will likely have a dramatic effect on the
fate of the coastal salmon, whose numbers have dipped in recent years for a
variety of reasons, including low water on the inland streams. Also key is the
outcome of ill-considered legislation by Sen. Dianne Feinstein to greatly
increase big agriculture's allotment, a move many are attributing to generous
campaign contributions from valley ag interests. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>California water law and water politics are complicated
matters that require careful consideration before decisions are made that can
affect large populations of people, wildlife, farmers and fishermen. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><font
size=3 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
font-weight:bold'>It isn't nearly as simply as the Westlands people, or Dianne
Feinstein, would have us believe.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext;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><em><i><font color=gray
face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'>, JcT, Chair</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'>Friends of <st1:place w:st="on">Trinity
River</st1:place></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 Land/Fax (Call first to Fax) </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 <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Mobile</st1:place></st1:City></span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><u><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue'><a href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net">bwl3@comcast.net</a></span></font></u></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><u><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue'><a
href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org">bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</a></span></font></u></i></em><em><i><font
color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:blue'> </span></font></i></em><em><i><font
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'>(Secondary)</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><u><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue'><a href="http://www.fotr.org/">www.fotr.org</a>
</span></font></u></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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