State water bond really is in Valley’s best interest

Turlock Irrigation District Director Rob Santos describes his opposition to Proposition 1 (“Here’s why I can’t vote for Brown’s water bond,” Page D1, Oct. 19), the state water bond, as selfish.

It is better defined as shortsighted.

California’s population has increased by 67 percent since the 1970s, when the last significant increases in surface water storage facilities were approved by state or federal authorities. In the 40 years since, our state and federal storage capacity has increased by only 1 percent.

There is no pathway to providing sufficient water for our agricultural, domestic and recreational needs without significant increases in water storage. That is what Proposition 1 provides.

Proposition 1 will provide more than $7 billion for new surface and groundwater storage projects, regional water reliability, sustainable groundwater management and cleanup, water recycling and safe drinking water.

It is long overdue.

Santos is right to be concerned about the state water board’s proposal to increase the unimpaired flows from the Tuolumne, Merced and Stanislaus rivers, which he links to the bond through some of its conservation measures.

We have talked to Gov. Jerry Brown and his administration about this plan, and we have expressed how damaging it would be to our area. And we expect that this will be a major battle next year. But this is an issue that we will have to deal with regardless of the bond measure’s success or failure at the polls.

The bond measure was specifically written to have no impact on the Delta tunnels proposal. That is why the most vociferous opponents of the tunnels, the Delta’s legislative delegation, all support the bond. It should be noted that most of the groups that are demanding the unimpaired flows be significantly increased also oppose Proposition 1.

Every Valley legislator, Democrat and Republican, supports the bond. The California Farm Bureau and every major California agricultural organization support the bond.

Nine of 10 directors from the Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts – Michael Frantz, Ron Macedo, Charles Fernandes, Joe Alamo, Jake Wenger, Larry Byrd, John Mensinger, Paul Campbell and Nick Blom – support the bond.

It is rare that so many disparate interests and regions in California almost unanimously embrace a significant public policy initiative. Many reasons, including the drought, account for this renewed spirit to address California water infrastructure shortfall.

It is time to move forward. We have spent much of this year working to craft a good bond measure and are now jointly campaigning, a Democrat and a Republican, for its passage.

Proposition 1 is good and, more importantly, essential, to our quality of life in the Valley. Join us in voting Yes on Proposition 1.

This story was originally published October 21, 2014 at 3:14 PM with the headline "State water bond really is in Valley’s best interest."