California Should Reconsider Plan to Release Billions of Gallons of Water Into the Ocean: Expert

Water in the California Aqueduct flows south through the San Joaquin Valley in Kettleman City, Calif., on April 2, 2021. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

As California prepares to release billions of gallons of water into the Pacific Ocean this fall to protect a local fish, some experts warn the effort may have a minor effect on the species and could harm the state’s water supply.

Each year, a vast amount of water is released into the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta to help fish such as the endangered Delta smelt, which requires a specific salinity range and water temperature for spawning.

To understand the issue better, host Siyamak Khorrami recently sat down with an expert on EpochTV’s “California Insider” to talk about what the state is facing.

“We really cannot afford to waste water in the state. We have to make sure that when we dedicate water to the environment, it does good and protects the environment,” Geoff Vanden Heuvel, director of regulatory and economic affairs at Milk Producers Council, said in a recent episode.

Vanden Heuvel developed his expertise in California water issues over the course of three decades while serving on the boards of the Chino Basin Watermaster, the Chino Basin Water Conservation District, and the Southern California Water Coalition.

Over the years, policy changes, including the 1973 Endangered Species Act, have allowed a portion of water to be allocated for environmental protection, while also allowing restrictions on farmers’ use of groundwater if it negatively affects the environment.

Vanden Heuvel said these policies can be quite powerful, requiring farmers and other water users to prioritize rules that benefit endangered species.

“You’re not allowed to hurt the species, and economic considerations really aren’t to be taken into account,” he said.

This year, an estimated 350,000 acre-feet of water—roughly 114 billion gallons—was slated to be released, calculated using data from the previous year, according to a joint letter in August to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources from several local water agencies, obtained by The Epoch Times.

That’s nearly $200 million worth of water if purchased on the open market, according to the agencies.

A Delta smelt at the University of California–Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Lab in Byron, Calif., on July 15, 2015. Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo

The outflow is mandated by the state’s Delta Smelt Summer-Fall Habitat Action plan, which requires freshwater water flows to improve habitat conditions for the Delta smelt.

Local water agencies cite recent scientific studies suggesting that the released water yields no measurable benefits for the fish.

In the letter, Westlands Water District, San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority, State Water Contractors, and Friant Water Authority cite data suggesting that because of the small number of Delta smelt in the area, the outflow is unlikely to result in any population-level benefits.

“Recent monitoring for Delta smelt has yielded very disappointing results ... indicating that only one smelt has been observed in recent weeks,” the letter said. “It is very possible that ... there may not be a remaining, measurable population of Delta smelt to benefit.”

State Response

In response to requests to reevaluate the water release, officials with the California Department of Water Resources, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent a letter in late August to the four water agencies saying the state was exploring a revised plan.

“As climate change heightens hydrological extremes, we must explore ways to be more responsive within this regulatory structure to the dynamic nature of the estuary, physical conditions, hydrology, water year type, and myriad other factors,” the letter reads.

However, the group also asserted that available science shows that the state’s actions provide important benefits to the fish, including increased food abundance and favorable water temperatures.

The state also released a draft on Sept. 12 proposing to modify the fall water flow requirements while minimizing the use of stored water.

“The climate crisis is changing our environment, especially for water supplies and fish. ... We’re revising our operations to ensure enough water flows through the Delta for the next couple of months while maintaining our water supplies,” Water Department Director Karla Nemeth and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham said in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times.

“Doing so strikes a balance and is informed by evolving science showing that flows can be adapted to both support wildlife while also capturing water for drier periods.”

The Water Department did not provide an estimate for the amount of water that needs to be released into the ocean but said the 2023 water release data reported by local agencies in the letter sent to the water department were inaccurate.

Sprinklers water a field near the community of Discovery Bay, a residential island surrounded by levees that hold back the waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, west of Stockton, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2005. David McNew/Getty Images

Community Water Supply

In a separate August letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley and the Southern California Water Coalition highlighted the economic hardship facing thousands of people in disadvantaged San Joaquin Valley communities.

Reduced water supplies have limited planted acreage and economic activity, making it harder for residents to find farm work, according to the letter, all while the state struggles with a severe budget deficit.

“Science over the last decade has demonstrated that this action, which has a significant water supply cost, is not producing the intended benefits for species, but has reduced water supply for impacted communities reliant on the water,” Eddie Ocampo, chair of Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, said in a statement.

In the “California Insider” episode, Vanden Heuvel also pointed out the importance of having more water storage as the state potentially faces several upcoming dry years.

However, he said that while storage is important, above-ground infrastructure such as reservoirs and dams may not be the best option right now because of high costs.

He suggested using underground space in the San Joaquin Valley, where tens of millions of acre-feet of water can be stored. He said that effective water management in the San Joaquin Valley is vital for the well-being and economic growth of the entire state.

While most of the state’s water resources are in the north, most of its population and agricultural activity are concentrated in the south and the Central Valley.

“The California we know today is really only possible because we move water around—moving water from areas of abundance to areas of need, literally causing the desert to bloom,” Vanden Heuvel said.

“I hope it still is, that human flourishing is a value that we have as a society. ... And in order for the environment to do well, our economy and our humans need to do well as well.”