Melvin J. Ladousier: Why are Brown’s tunnels OK, Trump’s diversions not?
Re “Even as fish vanish, feds try to pump more Delta water” (Page 3A, Jan. 3): How stupidly partisan can California be? When Gov. Jerry Brown was planning and pushing for tunnels to divert water around the Delta to Southern California there were no cries from UC Davis scientists about the negative impact the tunnels would have on Delta smelt. However, when the feds want to do the same diversion of water, it is a crime against the Delta ecology. Please explain the difference so us common folk can be informed.
Why is the media suddenly not focusing on drought and increasing water storage to sustain river flows in dry years to maintain Delta water quality and salmon runs without damaging the farming industry? Where are the stories of new dam construction and capacity increases on existing storage facilities?
We are into a “below normal” year and reservoirs are still releasing more water than is coming in. According to National Weather Service long-range forecasts, central and southern California will receive below normal amounts of precipitation over the next eight months. That is the definition of drought!
Melvin J. Ladousier, Merced
This story was originally published January 4, 2018 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Melvin J. Ladousier: Why are Brown’s tunnels OK, Trump’s diversions not?."