Water right | Nevada County

Delta–Picture courtesy of the California Department of Water Resources

– By Bill Wells
The fabulous California Delta is within an hours drive of the Bay Area, yet you will feel you are in a different world.

The Delta is formed by the confluence of two major California rivers; the Sacramento and the San Joaquin, and covers some 500,000 acres in the central part of the state. It is home to 225 species of birds, 54 fish species, and 52 species of mammals. The Delta produces some $2 billion in annual crop revenue.

You can spend years exploring the 1,000 miles of local waterways by boat. If you travel by car, motorcycle, or bicycle, there are hundreds of miles of back roads, villages, and towns to visit.

You can ride on some of the only remaining ferry boats in California. Bird watching, wine tasting, local museums, antique shops, and art galleries are but a few of the points of interest you will encounter.

The Delta is also noted for it’s excellent fishing and duck hunting. The Rio Vista Bass Festival attracts 15,000 fishermen and friends each year It has been in existence.

Unfortunately, all is not well in this treasure we call “The Heart of California”. The State Water Project and the Central Valley Project divert much of the Delta water to Central and Southern California. The lower water flows in the Delta caused by the diversions have contributed to the decline in fish populations and proliferation of invasive plants that have clogged waterways over the last few decades.

Now with the administration’s plans to divert the Sacramento River around the Delta via twin 40 foot diameter tunnels, it is possible that what is left of the Delta will be destroyed.

Many local grass roots organizations have banded together to fight the project and the Environmental Protection Agency wrote a scathing letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service which has sent the California Natural Resource Agency back to the drawing board to modify the plan to make it less harmful to the estuary.

We are hopeful that the tunnels will never be built and that water flows will be restored to a level that will be beneficial to the native fish and plant life. With a finite water supply and an ever increasing population, California needs to look at ways of creating new water – not reallocating it from one area to another.

Bill Wells is the Executive Director of the California Delta Chambers & Visitor’s Bureau and has been active in the fight to preserve and protect the California Delta. He served for two plus years on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) public meeting panel and is currently a member of the Delta Protection Commission Advisory Committee.

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Scott's Flat Lake. Picture taken from my deck. John O'Dell — Scott’s Flat Lake. Picture taken from my deck. John O’Dell

GRASS VALLEY – The water rights used by the Nevada Irrigation District to fill reservoirs and supply customers in Nevada and Placer counties are among those covered in the state’s May 27 curtailment order.

To address record dry conditions in California, the State Water Resources Control Board ordered some 2,600 agencies to stop diverting water from streams and rivers, including those on the Yuba River watershed.

NID Manager of Water Operations Chip Close said the district is reviewing its options. “This is another reminder of how serious the drought has become,” he said.

“Everyone has to conserve water. The governor has called for 20 percent water use reductions and we are asking our customers for the same.”

The state’s order includes 19 of NID’s post-1914 water rights, which are also referred as “junior” water rights. NID also holds multiple pre-1914 “senior” water rights, some of which date to the Gold Rush and are among the oldest in the state.

The state’s order does not impact pre-1914 water rights but includes a warning that these rights could be affected if the serious drought conditions continue. The order is effective until drought conditions ease.

Close said that considering the length and severity of the drought, NID is relatively well-prepared.

“We had an early runoff from the snowpack this year so the water is already in our reservoirs,” he said. “Under the state’s order, we’ll have to let any additional runoff run through our system.”

State officials said the action is necessary because current water supplies are insufficient to meet the needs of Sacramento and San Joaquin river water right holders. Affected agencies must certify that they are in compliance or face fines of $1,000 per day. The order allows some exceptions for health and safety purposes.

Close said NID has been carefully managing runoff as dry conditions have continued, leaving district reservoirs at near-average levels for this time of year. The district remains concerned over carryover storage for next year, he said.

Source: Nevada Irrigation District

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Nevada County

Tag Archives: Water right

Troubled Waters On The Delta

State Drought Action Impacts Nevada Irrigation District Water Diversions