President Donald Trump is once again taking aim at California’s water policy as he prepares to tour wildfire damage in the state. Trump has accused California of sending too much water to the Pacific Ocean instead of directing it to cities and farms in the south. He has threatened to withhold federal disaster aid unless the state changes its approach on water distribution.
California’s water primarily comes from the north and is channeled south through complex systems of dams and canals managed by the federal government and the state. Federal officials have the power to influence how much water flows through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to protect endangered species and supply water to farms in the Central Valley.
In the past, Trump’s administration allowed more water to be directed to the Central Valley, sparking concerns from environmental groups about harm to endangered fish populations. Recently, President Joe Biden’s administration issued rules to address these concerns.
Despite acknowledging improvements in water availability due to recent storms, Trump is pushing for more water to be routed to farmers and cities. However, this debate over water allocation is separate from the recent issue of dry hydrants and empty reservoirs in Los Angeles during the wildfires.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has enough water in storage to meet demands for three years. They emphasize the need for coordination between federal and state systems to ensure water availability for all users. Trump’s call for increased water routing may not directly benefit Los Angeles without proper coordination between the systems. Governor Newsom has called for an investigation into how water resources were managed during the wildfires.
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