CalTrout News
2014 was a monumental year for water policy in California with passage of the $7.5 billion dollar water bond and the groundbreaking Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Last week kicked off important talks and planning sessions to bring these to fruition.
As outlined in the Circle of Blue story here, the California Water Commission began establishing guidelines for the $2.7 billion water-infrastructure “storage” projects at the heart of the $7.5 billion bond. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) held the first of two public meetings to unveil their Stormwater Capture Master Plan.
CalTrout will be monitoring the talks closely to ensure the outcomes balance the needs of people and wild fish.
This Sacramento Bee op-ed by Andrew Fahlund, deputy director of the California Water Foundation, also offers a good overview of the meetings and nails why CalTrout believes that abundant wild fish mean healthy waters and healthy waters mean a better California.
It may surprise people to learn that ecosystems are an important part of California’s water system. Forests are the source of more than 60 percent of the state’s water. Wetlands filter and store water as well as temper flooding. Loss of those natural resources and associated benefits creates a “regulatory vulnerability” to our water system. Investments through the bond are available to protect and enhance natural infrastructure.
