California water debate reignites following January's massive precipitation
LODI – What to do with all of the rain and snow Northern California received last month?
If Gov. Gavin Newsom gets his way, he wants to use it to build up the state's water supply. But critics are saying not releasing water into rivers could further hurt the environment.
In January, back-to-back winter storms pounded the drought-stricken state.
"The weather pattern is great – we need the rain, we just need to store it," said Philip Featherston, a Wilton resident.
Storing water is what the governor wants to do with February looking dry, thus far. State rules say most of the water must stay in the rivers to carry endangered fish species throughout the delta and into the Pacific Ocean.
The governor wants to temporarily halt the release to preserve our water supply. It's an unwelcome move by environmentalists.
The State Water Board told CBS13 it did receive a request to modify the water rules. Staff are carefully reviewing the request with the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.
A decision could be coming within the next week.
"Governor Newsom and his state water board have been cutting those regulations in wet years and in dry years and we now have fish and wildlife species that are about to go extinct," said John Rosenfield, a science director for the environmental group San Francisco Baykeeper.
In Lodi, grower Joe Valente believes the idea is about water management. He is also president of the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District. He cautions the state's extreme weather makes it hard to do business.
"We don't know what's coming up. February seems to be dry. We're not sure what march is going to be," said Valente who works for John Kautz Farm.
When asked if he believes water management and protecting the environment can co-exist, he said yes – with the right balance.
"We do get accused of using water," Valente said. "But that water is turned into food."
Meanwhile, critics say there has to be another way.
"What has to happen is the state needs to enter the 21st century and realize we can't keep using water the way that we allocated it based on 19th-century rules," Rosenfield said.
