[env-trinity] Trinity Journal Editorial: Interior secretary eyes more NorCal water Likely bad news for Trinity

[Tom Stokely]

http://www.trinityjournal.com/opinion/editorials/article_742f9e56-a59b-11e8-96d2-63837889d582.html

Interior secretary eyes more NorCal water

Likely bad news for Trinity
   
   - Aug 22, 2018
 Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Friday demanded a “plan of action” to secure more water for Central Valley farmers and urban users south of the Delta, giving his staff 15 days to develop a proposal.Zinke’s memo asks for a plan “maximizing water supply deliveries,” “better incorporating best science” into Interior decisions, “streamlining” consultations related to the Endangered Species Act, constructing new water storage, and making infrastructure changes to “independently operate” the federally funded Central Valley Project.We’ve heard those buzzwords before. Taken alone and on face value, it’s hard to argue with the goals of greater efficiency. However, taken together, we know what they mean — significantly increased deliveries of Northern California water. In cruder terms, the plan will likely suck Trinity Lake dry. We’ve seen it before.Maximizing water supply deliveries means pumping more fresh water through the fragile Delta. It’s hard to imagine that not impacting Trinity and Shasta lakes.Better incorporating best science means picking and choosing which science supports your viewpoint.Streamlining consultations means gutting the Endangered Species Act, or at least ignoring the parts that limit water deliveries.New water storage almost certainly means raising the height of Shasta Dam. Or maybe even resurrecting long-shelved dam plans along the Trinity River.Independently operating the Central Valley Project would be a disaster, given how closely intertwined the CVP and State Water Project are. Not to mention it conflicts with federal law.Given that the plan of action is to be submitted to Interior Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt, a former lobbyist and attorney for water users, including the Westlands Water District, it’s not hard to see what side of the fence this plan will fall.Zinke giving his staff 15 days to solve the California water delivery puzzle is laughable. Unless, of course, the pieces of the puzzle are already laid out.We wait to see how Trinity fits into that. Something tells us it won’t be good.
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