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THE PROGRESSIVE REVIEW - December 28, 2009
Debunking California's Water Myths
by: Rick Cabral, truthout|Report
Myths have been surfacing in recent months about
California's water crisis, becoming so serious that the
state's Public Policy Institute (PPIC) was forced to
address the issue in a new report, "California Water
Myths," where the agency tackles eight of the most common
misperceptions.
Though not as titillating as a Bigfoot sighting, the PPIC
report seeks to "rebuild public policy discussions on myth-
free foundations" while improving the collection, analysis,
synthesis and use of accurate information about the state's
water system. The Public Policy Institute of California is
an independent, nonpartisan organization, and the central
message of its report is the state must improve the flow
of existing information among the key stakeholders.
Topping the myth list is "California is running out of
water." In fact, the PPIC report explains, the Golden
State no longer can expect abundantly cheap sources of
water and will need to adapt to greater scarcity in the
decades ahead.
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The report's other myths (followed by the "realities")
include:
1. [Insert villain here] is responsible for California's
water problems.
There is no true villain in California water policy, but
opportunities exist for all sectors to better use and
manage water.
2. We can build our way out of California's water problems.
New infrastructure can contribute to California's water
supply solutions, but it is not a cure-all.
3. We can conserve our way out of California's water
problems.
Water conservation is important, but its effectiveness is
often overstated.
4. Healthy aquatic ecosystems conflict with a healthy
economy.
Healthy ecosystems provide significant value to the
California economy, and many opportunities exist for
mutually beneficial water management.
5. More water will lead to healthy fish populations.
Fish need more than water to thrive.
6. California's water rights laws impede reform and
sustainable management.
The legal tools for reform are already present in
California's water rights laws; we just need to start
using them.
7. We can find a consensus that will keep all parties
happy.
Tough tradeoffs mean that consensus is not achievable on
all water issues; higher levels of government will need
to assert leadership.
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Although the report would appear to point fingers at the
California Legislature's lack of leadership, Ellen Hanak,
director of research at PPIC, is quick to credit the
state's governing body for passing its historic
legislation. The California Legislature last month passed
The Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act
of 2010, which included an $11.14 billion general
obligation bond proposal that would provide funding for
California's aging water infrastructure and for projects
and programs to address the state's ecosystem and water
supply issues. "It's a good first start in addressing a
wide range of water management problems in California."
She noted than an early draft of the water legislation
included more stringent measures for monitoring groundwater
storage levels. "In a modern water system," Hanak said, "if
we're not able to accurately measure and monitor water use,
it puts us in such a difficult position to make the kind
of sophisticated judgments and decisions on how we want to
manage that use. We've got to do better."
She and her seven co-writers suggested looking at surface
storage, underground storage, conservation and recycling
as a "combined system" rather than as separate entities.
Assembly member Jared Huffman, chair of the Water, Parks
and Wildlife Committee, and a key figure in the passage of
the Delta water legislation, found the PPIC report useful
and provocative. But he challenged its criticism of
California's conservation efforts, saying the authors made
it appear the effectiveness and potential for conservation
was overstated. "I completely disagree with that."
Huffman points to the multiple benefits of water
conservation - reduced energy usage, reduction in waste
water discharges and cost savings - as a key tool in the
overall water management tool belt. "I think the PPIC was
so determined to knock down all the perspectives a few
notches they went too far on this one."
State Sen. Lois Wolk, who represents four of the five
counties in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, was harsher
in her assessment. "They left out the biggest myth - that
the Delta can be fixed without the participation and
support of the people who live, work and recreate there.
I am hopeful that the federal government will get involved
and make certain that the Delta counties will be at the
table, and be guaranteed enough water and funding to
protect the largest estuary in the Western Hemisphere."
Wolk, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Delta
Stewardship and Sustainability, opposed the series of
water bills passed last month.
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Hanak said the PPIC report is the first installment in a
team project looking at sustainable water management in
the 21st century, and sets the stage for what they're
planning down the road.
Two key areas deserve more study, she noted: Ecosystem
management and managing flow for fish, and integrating
more efficient water management actions.
"It's good if the broader public policy discourse can move
beyond the myth, to a more nuanced discussion of things,"
she said.
Added Huffman: "They've certainly been trying to push us -
the Legislature and the State as a whole - to take on some
of these bigger challenges and move beyond our parochial
trenches. We do need to take a broader and bigger look at
water in California and we need to do it quickly."
The California Water Myth report was supported with funding
from S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, The David and Lucile
Packard Foundation, along with several other groups.
Which suggests that if foundations with vast resources
wish to debunk a myth, it's certainly within the realm of
possibility.
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