Guest Commentary: What’s the plan to feed the nation?
By CHERYL SNYDER
On Thursday, Aug. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Ronald Reagan Community Center at 195 Douglas Ave., El Cajon, 71st District Assemblyman Brian Jones is hosting a town hall meeting on California’s drought.
Participation includes Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Helix Water District, San Diego County Water Authority and The Water Reliability Coalition. They say there will be a question and answer time.
One question, I anticipate, will not be allowed: Do you have a plan to feed the nation, now that you have assigned to yourselves all surface and groundwater rights in California, denying central valley farmers the surface water in the streams they supplied for themselves when they paid for the reservoirs, canals, etc., to be built for just such times as these, seeing there are perennial droughts in California?
The central valley was the number one agriculture producer in the world prior to the water being shut off to the west side of the valley. Five hundred thousand acres have been abandoned on the west side. (Coincidence that is where they want to build the high speed rail from nowhere to somewhere else?) Now, with the governor denying central valley farmers the water from the rivers they supplied themselves, how are they supposed to survive? Where do the politicians think their food comes from? The grocery store? The farmers have been pumping groundwater, trying to keep their crops and animals alive.
With the passage last year of SB 1168, SB 1319 and AB 1739, California government confiscation of groundwater, that groundwater pumping will stop. The California government some time ago stopped farmers from damming rivers or even part-time riverlets for irrigation or watering stock. That dammed-up water used to percolate down and help refill the aquifers. What a surprise the aquifers are drying up. Northern California’s rivers must now “run free to the ocean.” Ever hear of a critter called a beaver? They served a purpose.
Once an aquifer goes dry, they can collapse. Once they collapse, they can never be refilled. They are gone.
Once the farmers are gone, who will raise our food? How can anyone without water?
Less than 10% of the population in America are farmers. Maybe that’s why the politicians thought they could confiscate their water — not many people to complain. Much like Pol Pot, a communist who took over Cambodia, killed everyone who had money, an education and/or land, wanting what they had, the politicians want the water supplied to “settle the arid West.” But, after Pol Pot had killed them, he had a problem. He had no doctors, lawyers or farmers, etc. The assets they steal. They haven’t paid the price. Many starved to death under Pol Pot. Is that where we are going?
So, where is the water going? Not to you and me. We are only allowed to water five minutes twice a week. Know any plant that will survive on that? Me neither. I do see many dead trees and sad dirt yards for the children to play in. Interestingly, I have not seen any brown golf courses. California boasts of having 1,140 golf courses. Most, reportedly, are in Palm Desert, San Diego and La Quinta. San Diego alone has about 93 golf courses. (Gee, maybe we should have some ski resorts, too.) Most 18-hole golf courses are about 150 acres. Some are only about 74 acres. The average golf course uses 312,000 gallons a day (140,000 gallons a year would supply a family of four). Palm Springs’ 57 golf courses eat up one million gallons a day. Some golf courses claim to use recycled water. They would have some mighty busy toilets to water 150 acres. As of 2009, only 14 percent of the water used to water golf courses is recycled.
It rather looks like we are trading food for grass on golf courses. Of course, there is more money there, the obvious choice. Problem is, even the governor’s and politicians’ food comes from the field. That is, until now. Apparently, the politicians have figured a way to get rid of pesky, stinky farmers, and still have food, right?
Cheryl Snyder is a Ramona resident.