Feds Withhold Water To California Farmers For First Time In 54 Years

Origanalist

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The US Bureau of Reclamation released its first outlook of the year and finds insufficient stock is available in California to release irrigation water for farmers. This is the first time in the 54 year history of the State Water Project. "If it's not there, it's just not there," notes a Water Authority director adding that it's going to be tough to find enough water, but farmers are hit hardest as "they're all on pins and needles trying to figure out how they're going to get through this." Fields will go unplanted (supply lower mean food prices higher), or farmers will pay top dollar for water that's on the market (and those costs can only be passed on via higher food prices).



Via AP,

Federal officials announced Friday that many California farmers caught in the state's drought can expect to receive no irrigation water this year from a vast system of rivers, canals and reservoirs interlacing the state.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released its first outlook of the year, saying that the agency will continue to monitor rain and snow fall, but the grim levels so far prove that the state is in the throes of one of its driest periods in recorded history.

Unless the year turns wet, many farmers can expect to receive no water from the federally run Central Valley Project.

... the state's snowpack is at 29 percent of average for this time of year.

...

California officials who manage the State Water Project, the state's other major water system, have already said they won't be releasing any water for farmers, marking a first in its 54-year history.

continued...http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-02-21/feds-withhold-water-california-farmers-first-time-54-years
 
Gov. Jerry Brown last month declared California's drought emergency, and both state and federal officials have pledged millions of dollars to help with water conservation and food banks for those put out of work by the drought.

View galleryCalifornia drought
A buoy lies on the bottom of Hirz Bay in Shasta Lake, which is 100 feet (30 meters) below its normal …
California officials who manage the State Water Project, the state's other major water system, have already said they won't be releasing any water for farmers, marking a first in its 54-year history.

In 2009, the dry weather caused federal authorities to announce many Central Valley farmers would receive no water, but the wet weather that followed moved that up to 10 percent. Ryan Jacobsen of the Fresno County Farm Bureau said no Fresno County farmers were spared of bad news this time, marking a sad historical first. Fresno County leads the nation in agriculture production with $6.6 billion in annual economic activity.

There's still time for the situation to improve. By late Wednesday, the National Weather Service expects a storm to sweep through the region bringing significant showers. The weather is expected to break Thursday with rain continuing Friday and Saturday. The state needs a succession of storms dumping mountain snow, said Pete Lucero of the Bureau of Reclamation. "Rain is nice, but snow is where the money is," he said.

Gayle Holman of the Fresno-based Westlands Water District, the nation's largest supplier of water for agricultural use, said she fears farmers will be stuck with no increases to the federal water distribution. The district had been preparing farmers for Friday's announcement.

"They're all on pins and needles trying to figure out how they're going to get through this," Holman said, adding that Westland's 700 farmers will choose to leave fields unplanted, draw water from wells or pay top dollar for water that's on the market. "We would need those buckets of rain now."

more...http://news.yahoo.com/california-farmers-won-39-t-federal-water-182640605.html
 
Actually I'm pretty sure they did just a few years back.

They didn't turn it back on until some vote passed that had nothing to do with water, from what I'm thinking. It was more like flat out extortion and a pay off.


Maybe it was the ones that control the federal government???
 
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Actually I'm pretty sure they did just a few years back.

They didn't turn it back on until some vote passed that had nothing to do with water, from what I'm thinking. It was more like flat out extortion and a pay off.


Maybe it was the ones that control the federal government???

I vaguely remember that now that you mention it. I can't quite get that synapse to fire though.
 
SWC droneking's puppet masters include Israeli lobbies and they have sent various federals official to Israel to study their methods and there was another rumor that at one point in his first term almost one-third of his cabinet were dual Israeli citizens too.

So this is a conicidence or another episode of "Americans-Palestinians coming closer day by day"?

Settlers grab Palestinian water springs: U.N. report | Reuters
Reuters
Mar 19, 2012 - ...

Israel rations Palestinians to trickle of water | Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org/.../israel-rations-palestinia...‎
 
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I vaguely remember that now that you mention it. I can't quite get that synapse to fire though.


Me neither.

My sister would remember. We were comparing notes after the election and both of us brought it up at the same time. I sort of think we laughed but it was no laughing matter.
 
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SWC droneking's puppet masters include Israeli lobbies and they have sent various federals official to Israel to study their methods. So this is a conicidence or another episode of "Americans-Palestinians coming closer day by day"?

Settlers grab Palestinian water springs: U.N. report | Reuters
Reuters
Mar 19, 2012 - ...

Israel rations Palestinians to trickle of water | Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org/.../israel-rations-palestinia...‎

I'm gonna go with coincidence. Parts of California have been going through a drought.
 
Of all the places to shut off for conservation, and to get through a drought....they start with the people who grow food????


No copy right infringement meant towards Anti-Federalist when I say this, but....

"Is it time yet?"
 
Of all the places to shut off for conservation, and to get through a drought....they start with the people who grow food????


No copy right infringement meant towards Anti-Federalist when I say this, but....

"Is it time yet?"

Maybe not but it goes along with their plans to tax us more for our own water, I would think. Another click on the vise grips, so to speak.
 
I bet the golf courses still get water 6 days a week .....

Obama Plays Water-Guzzling Desert Golf Courses Amid California Drought

President Barack Obama traveled to California on Friday to highlight the state’s drought emergency at two events near Fresno, calling for shared sacrifice to help manage the state’s worst water shortage in decades. He then spent the rest of the weekend enjoying the hospitality of some of the state’s top water hogs: desert golf courses.

Read more: Obama Plays Water-Guzzling Desert Golf Courses Amid California Drought | TIME.com http://swampland.time.com/2014/02/1...esert-courses-amid-the-drought/#ixzz2u3ZHILUm
 
What? No mention of Global Warming as the cause of the drought?
 
Well. I have a good bit to say about this but just don't feel like it right this second. I am reminded of Nestle's recent campaign against the human right to water though. And weather derivatives. The Farm Bill. Some other stuff.

Good paper, OP.
 
It is a flat out drought here. They aren't fooling when they say there IS no water.
 
Actually I'm pretty sure they did just a few years back.

They didn't turn it back on until some vote passed that had nothing to do with water, from what I'm thinking. It was more like flat out extortion and a pay off.


Maybe it was the ones that control the federal government???

I vaguely remember that now that you mention it. I can't quite get that synapse to fire though.

Wasn't it something about saving some little fishies?
 
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