Westlands outraged at 2000 water supply reductions: farm water shortages mean economic impacts for the valley

摘要

Westlands Water District officials expressed outrage at the preliminary announcement of only a 40 percent Central Valley Project water supply for the 2000-2001 water year. The shortage equates to a loss of 690,000 acre-feet of water to Westlands, critical to tile food and fiber Production on nearly 600,000 acres of prime farm and on tile west side of Fresno and Kings counties. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation told CVP water users to expect a 40 percent allocation for farmers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This area includes Westlands and is based on dry conditions. The Bureau then said to expect -- at best - a 50 percent allocation based on above-normal precipitation. An official allocation was still pending at press time.