Editor’s note: David Zetland, a Western water
economist, offers an insider’s
perspective into water politics and economics. We will be
cross-posting occasional posts and content from his blog, Aguanomics, here
on the Range.
Westlands Water District has pulled out of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan
(via BB et al.), claiming that it is unwilling to spend time or money
on a process that does not guarantee that water deliveries will be equal
or higher to their historical level.
Fleck, Aquadoc, Carter and OTPR
all have posts on this “development.” I think that WWD has made a
mistake in not playing ball. It seems that WWD (and SLDMWA, a related
organization) think that the new Republican majority will deliver them a
gift (more free water) that they cannot currently get in the BDCP
negotiation. I’m betting that the Republicans will be too busy fighting
in DC to pay attention to farmers who lack the lobbying clout of defense
contractors, Wall Street firms, and oil companies.
But I am glad to have WWD away from the table, where they could sabotage
negotiations at every turn with new items for the agenda, further
studies, and so on. It will be easier to reach an agreement on the Delta
without WWD. (It’s still not certain!)
Oh, and here’s WWD’s 5 page 22 Nov resignation letter to the Department of the Interior [PDF]. Read it to learn a little more about WWD’s pain and suffering in this unfair world.
Bottom Line: The end of abundant water means that some water
users will get less water. That’s a fact. The only response to it is to
try to find ways of minimizing the cost of allocating whatever water
remains. WWD needs to play that game, instead of wishing reality away.
Originally posted
at Aguanomics.
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