provider to water to agricultural users in the state. “There isn’t any question that water supply for agriculture is a significant challenge,” he said repeating an oft-heard comment from all the experts. “Over the last three decades, there has been a significant reallocation from agricultural use to environmental use.” Birmingham expects that trend to continue with the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). “As much as 20% of the land in the San Joaquin Valley will have to be fallowed to comply with the requirements of SGMA.” But he believes there is potential hope on the horizon as he also points to the 2019 biological opinions and believes the reliance on real-time monitoring is a step forward. He said if all sides are serious about protecting endangered species a new approach must emerge as the one being used for a generation has not been successful. Birmingham is also optimistic that the voluntary agreements will be the path forward offering stability for farmers and breathing room so the best available science can be utilized to logically balance the needs of people with those of endangered species. He noted that if large amounts of land have to be fallowed, the economic impact on California will hit heaviest on disadvantaged communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley. He said a UC Berkeley report estimated that California could take a $7.2 billion hit to its economy with 42,000 ag-related jobs being lost. He said the voluntary agreements represent a collaborative rather than regulatory approach and expressed confidence that state, federal agencies, environmentalists and business stakeholders will be able to reach an accord. In early February, he expressed optimism that “within a matter of weeks” the industry would be able to present its work to the government agencies and create a framework to move forward on those agreements. Birmingham also expressed optimism that there will be new infrastructure projects to help California agriculture on the supply. He ticked off several on-going projects that Westlands is involved in—including on with the Friant Water Authority—that will increase water availability. He also took a holistic view of the future of California
agriculture. “California farmers can produce greater yields with fewer inputs than any other farmers in the world.” He said it is a matter of national security that we produce our own food and he indicated that that fact will carry weight at the end of the day. “There are real challenges but there are real solution,” he opined. Jason Phillips, CEO, Friant Water Authority Friant maintains the 152-mile Friant-Kern Canal, 36-mile Madera Canal, Friant Dam, and Millerton Lake. Phillips was the least optimistic of all those interviewed. Like others, he believes the voluntary agreements do offer a path forward but he said that path has been meandering in the same directions for decades, which means less water for agriculture. “The problem that I have seen over the last 20 years is that California water agencies, which are run by hired help, are continually forced to cut deals that in the short term give up water supplies with no long-term supply commitment.” He said these five-, 10- and 15-year deals may look good to water agency staff, but farmers, who often trace their roots back many generations, need to take a longer view…and it doesn’t exist. “We may have to agree to a deal even if it’s not a particularly good deal. Once again, they have their guns to our heads,” he said talking metaphorically about those who don’t have agriculture’s best interest at heart. Phillips reminded that this latest voluntary agreement effort replaces a joint plan that was submitted by the water industry to regulators in 2018. “We (Friant board) unanimously supported that because it was good for our member agencies and it limited the losses. But it was not adopted by the State Water Control Board. Now we’re back again. Whatever is agreed to, it is guaranteed it will be worse for farmers.” He is not certain the Friant board will support such an agreement. But Phillips admits the alternative is a cadre of lawyers in courts filing litigation and spending money that could be better used improving the water supply. Phillips believes that farmers, who ultimately pay that bill, must engage in this fight to secure their own future. “We need to lock in supplies for 50 years, not just 15,” he said.
The Friant executive does support a collaborative approach but he said it needs to think longer term and with regulatory lock-in of supplies and committed political leadership. He said if that can occur, growers can move forward with certainty and help plan California’s agricultural future. He does not believe solving the state’s water issues are a top priority for California’s political leaders, which informs his lack of optimism moving forward. He said it has become conventional wisdom that San Joaquin Valley has to reduce its agricultural acreage by a significant amount. Phillips believes that viewpoint represents failure. “We need the support of the farming community to get the governor or the next governor to partner with us to create water balance,” he said. David Guy, president, Northern California Water Association NCWA represents water districts, water companies, small towns, rural communities and landowners that use both surface and groundwater resources in the Sacramento Valley. Guy focused his remarks on what he called a “game changer” and that is reactivating the flood plains in Sacramento Valley as the best place to re-invigorate fish and wildlife populations. “I feel we have an opportunity to re-imagine our water system,” he said. He is taking the approach that improving fish and wildlife habitat is not at odds with increasing water supplier for agriculture and other users. He is basically arguing that the Sacramento Valley is the best place to accomplish that task, which could arguably reduce the need for mitigation efforts in the Delta. In fact, NWCA is moving forward on this project and he said preliminary results are that only a few inches of water in the flood plains creates a plethora of bugs that allow for fish and wildlife to proliferate in the area. Salmon, for example, can then move downstream in huge numbers. He claims to have substantial buy-in on this plan for environmental groups. “This will improve the salmon population and take pressure off of ag water suppliers,” he said. As Guy looks down the road, he sees positives for his member agencies and users. He believes Sites Reservoir is an incredible asset for agriculture that will also provide water for environmental uses. He adds that
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MARCH | APRIL 2 021
Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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