Where the water goes

Unfortunately, there have been a number of inaccurate and misleading statements over the past few weeks on the man-made drought in the San Joaquin Valley.  For example, there have been allegations that agriculture is the using too much Delta water.  The image that I have uploaded shows water distributions.

Some have also mentioned the story of a “farmer” selling his water for $77 million, claiming this is the problem – not the environmental restrictions.  It was a Bay Area businessman that sold the water.  He sold 14,000 acre feet of water for the next ten years at $5,500 an acre foot.  The water is going to the Mojave Irrigation District for groundwater banking.  It can be frustrating to see water sold from of the Valley at this time.  But this sale pales in comparison to the environmental losses we have seen just this year. "Protecting" the Delta smelt has blocked over 600,000 acre feet of water from being delivered.  Starting October 1, 2009, another 250,000 acre feet will be released from Friant Dam to bring salmon back and won't happen.