I support the present plans for a single bore tunnel through the Delta. It should be absolutely clear that not all the Delta water would go through the proposed tunnel. The allocation would be strictly regulated. Southern California is not slated to receive more water, just more reliable water. It should be equally clear that the California WaterFix needs to go hand in hand with EcoRestore.These are co-equal goals. The Delta as it now stands is unsustainable. Levee failure will take place. Subsidence of Delta tracts is severe. Climate change is real. As sea levels rise, with possible projections of over a foot in the coming 20 years and 4 feet in the next 40, we will find that our present water intake locations will go from fresh to salt during our lifetimes. Due to threats to endangered species, the present intake locations cannot capture stormwater in times of excess to store in our reservoirs. At times the intake locations cause a reverse flow in Delta rivers, disrupting the ecosystem. These intakes are downstream of Stockton and Modesto. We are drinking their effluent. The water at the Byron intakes has high total dissolved solids (TDS). The proposed upstream location for the tunnel has significantly less TDS, which would reduce chemical use to remove them and thus reduce cost for Zone 7 treatment. A tunnel also reduces loss by evaporation. Some have proposed that we would not need the tunnel if we constructed more desalination plants. While desal plants should be part of our portfolio, long term it would be prohibitively expensive to establish and maintain enough desal plants to serve the state’s needs in a constant renewal of materials and in energy costs. The proposed tunnel system is both an environmental and public health issue. Over 24 million people are dependent on water that passes through the Delta. The people of the Livermore-Amador Valley are part of that number. It is in our best interests to go forward with restructuring and updating California’s water system.
To meet the public health needs of this valley’s future, we will need many sources of reliable water to ensure sustainability. The California WaterFix with EcoRestore would be an important part of our water portfolio.
Delta Conveyance
The Delta is presently unsustainable. Levee failure will take place with potential flooding and seismic risk. Subsidence of Delta tracts is severe. Climate change wil cause sea levels to rise, and our present water intake locations will go from fresh to salt during our lifetimes. With threats to endangered species, the present intake locations cannot capture stormwater in times of excess to store in our reservoirs. These locations sometimes cause a reverse flow in Delta rivers, disrupting the ecosystem. These intakes are downstream of Stockton and Modesto. We are drinking their effluent.
An upstream location for the Delta Conveyance single tunnel system could reduce our chemical treatment costs and reduce loss by evaporation. The proposed tunnel system is both an environmental and public health benefit. Over 27 million people are dependent on water that passes through the Delta. The people of the Livermore-Amador Valley are part of that number. California’s water system needs to be updated.
We need the dual goals of a sustainable environment and reliable water for public health.
One alternative will be selected
The Delta Conveyance Project Draft EIR has been released!!!
Public review and comment:
July 27, 2022 – October 27, 2022
