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Drought Declaration Ambiguity: California Locals Concerned over Groundwater Control, Schwarzenegger’s Meaning in “Expedited Water Transfers” (MSNBC)

Mar.01, 2009 in Drought, Public Works, Water Crisis, Water Management, Water Rights

(Feb. 28, 2009, MSNBC)

Butte County water officials have concerns that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proclamation Friday on the drought isn’t clear about protecting local control over groundwater.

Paul Gosselin, director of the county Department of Water and Resource Conservation, said there are concerns about what exactly the governor means by “expedited water transfers.”

Butte County has an ordinance that requires a permit if groundwater is to be transferred outside the county, or groundwater used if surface water is transferred.

No one in Butte County has applied to go through that permitting process, even though there have been open solicitations for people to transfer water through the Drought Water Bank.

“We are also concerned about what emergency actions (the Governor) may impose after March 30 to streamline water transfer permits,” he said.

“We also want them to formally acknowledge and honor county ordinances,” he said.

At the end of the declaration, the governor talks about other actions that might be considered after March 30.

“You can speculate on what that might be,” Gosselin said. “It definitely shows that as this drought continues there are other powers the Governor has that they have on their plate for consideration.”

Gosselin said the recent announcement relied on environmental documents used for the 2009 Drought Water Bank.

“As written, the existing environmental documents were not adequate and we want formally written into the plan that county ordinances have to be complied with,” he said.

County letters to the state in October and January also asked for the Drought Water Bank to take a closer look at economic and environmental impacts in the Sacramento Valley.

Other aspects of the plan sound good, he said, such as technical assistance for agriculture and partnering for water conservation.

Locally, California Water Service, which provides water to Chico and other locations, has already had a voluntary 10 percent water use reduction in place. A tiered water rate also means higher water users pay more.

Mike Pembroke, manager of Cal Water in Chico, said his staff will need a few days to find out exactly what the Governor’s proclamation means to Chico.

“We’re not asking people to not use the water they need. We’re asking them to really look at their waste and modify that,” Pembroke said.

(Original Article Here)