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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:11.25pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:0in;mso-line-height-alt:15.6pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Water peril</span></b><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td colspan=3 style='padding:1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt'></td></tr><tr><td style='padding:1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt'></td><td style='padding:1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt'></td><td style='padding:1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt'></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:15.6pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"'>10:00 PM PST on Wednesday, January 12, 2011</span></b><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"'>The Press-Enterprise</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The recent heavy rains do not resolve the water challenges facing the state. State and local elected officials, water agencies and consumers all have roles to play in securing an ample long-term supply of water. And that task requires addressing threats to the state's primary water system, expanding water storage and making more efficient use of existing supplies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The heavy precipitation of late December and early January was good news for a state that wrestles with drought. The state's mountain snowpack stands at nearly twice normal levels for this point in the year, the state Department of Water resources announced late last month. The mountain snow, which melts and runs off in the hot summer months, is a key source of water for California.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The water agency said the high snow levels would likely increase the deliveries available through the State Water Project, which sends water from Northern California to drier areas of the state. The agency last year projected it could supply 50 percent of the exports for 2011 requested by water providers across the state, but now says that figure will go higher.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Californians should not let that good news lull them into complacency, however. State and local government, water agencies and average residents still have much to do in ensuring sufficient water for a state with large arid regions and a growing population.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta remains in danger, for example. Water that flows through the estuary serves two-thirds of the state's population and irrigates millions of acres of farmland. Yet the delta faces threats from environmental decline and eroding levees that put future water exports at risk. The most sensible solution is a channel to send water around the delta, which would protect exports while easing environmental woes. But that idea remains a political flashpoint.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The state also needs to boost oversight of pumping from underground aquifers, which account for 30 percent of California water supplies. The Legislature took the first steps toward monitoring groundwater use in 2009. But the state cannot afford to let those with groundwater rights recklessly drain a crucial source of water.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The recent rains also highlight the need for state and local agencies to expand efforts to catch and store storm-water runoff. The state's long-range climate projections suggest that in coming decades, mountain snow will not conveniently store enough water for summer. Instead, the state will need to collect more winter rain to supply the dry months.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>And California will need to boost efforts statewide to conserve, recycle and reuse enough water for the future.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:16.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Rain and snow are always welcome in a state that suffers periodic droughts. But while big storms help, California needs a more viable long-term water policy than relying on wet winters alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Byron Leydecker, JcT</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Chair, Friends of Trinity River</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>PO Box 2327</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 4810 land</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 519 4810 mobile</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net"><span style='color:blue'>bwl3@comcast.net</span></a></span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org"><span style='color:blue'>bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</span></a> </span></i></b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>(secondary)</span></i><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a href="http://fotr.org/"><span style='color:blue'>http://www.fotr.org</span></a> </span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>