January 11,2015
A news report today in the SF Chronicle say the US government and Westlands Water District have come to an understanding over the irrigation dispute festering for the past 20 years. The deal would lead to final retirement of more tainted farm lands in Westlands and perhaps a brighter future for these lands becoming a solar park.Here is what the newspaper reported.
“Details of the deal between Westlands and the federal Bureau of Reclamation have not been revealed to members of Congress, who would have to approve it. But according to a short “principles of agreement” document that has been made public, the deal would forgive $342 million in federal debt that Westlands owes for construction of the 1960s extension of the Central Valley Project to deliver water to the San Joaquin Valley farms.
In return, taxpayers would be relieved of an estimated $2.7 billion obligation to remove the contaminated water that results from the irrigation. Resolution of the drainage problem would be left to Westlands farmers.
Westlands would not have to retire any land beyond what it has already taken out of production because of salt buildup, even though federal agencies have recommended retiring more than 300,000 acres, or half the district, on the grounds that the only way to end the drainage problem is to stop irrigating the land.”