Melvin Ladousier: Government failing us on all water issues
Water Stupid. As Californians we deserve what we get. Failure to recognize and correct the political pandering over water is dooming the future of our agricultural industry as well as some sectors of manufacturing.
Politicians are supported and elected by voters. Urbanites have the greatest power in that respect, and urban areas are centers for environmentalists. Consider the lawsuit by Bay Area environmentalists to remove O’Shaugnessy Dam and drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, their primary water source. Where do they expect to get future water?
Look at “Biologists push to keep effort to restore S.J. River salmon” (Page A4, April 27). Suspending the river flow demand for the duration of the drought would cost a few hundred fish. Not suspending flow will fallow thousands of acres, eliminate hundreds of jobs and possibly put some farmers out of business for a few fish – what lunacy! How about our legislature’s delays in creating additional water storage facilities to cope with future droughts? Given the dire warnings of climate change driven drought, continuation of the poor decision making will doom California’s economy and make it into the worst place to live in the nation, at least if you need water.
Melvin Ladousier, Merced
This story was originally published April 30, 2015 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Melvin Ladousier: Government failing us on all water issues."