California Should Reconsider Plan to Release Billions of Gallons of Water Into the Ocean: Expert

The state is preparing to release a vast amount of water into the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta this fall to help fish such as the endangered Delta smelt.

 Water in the California Aqueduct flows south through the San Joaquin Valley in Kettleman City, Calif., on April 2, 2021. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

As California prepares to release billions of gallons of water into the Pacific Ocean this fall to protect a local fish, some experts warn the effort may have little impact on the species and could harm the state’s water supply.

Each year, a vast amount of water is released into the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta to help fish such as the endangered Delta smelt, which requires a specific salinity range and water temperature for spawning.

To understand the issue better, host Siyamak Khorrami recently sat down with an expert on EpochTV’s “California Insider” to talk about what the state is facing.

“We really cannot afford to waste water in the state. We have to make sure that when we dedicate water to the environment, it does good and protects the environment,” Geoff Vanden Heuvel, director of regulatory and economic affairs at Milk Producers Council, said in a recent episode.

Vanden Heuvel developed his expertise in California water issues over the course of three decades while serving on the boards of the Chino Basin Watermaster, the Chino Basin Water Conservation District, and the Southern California Water Coalition.

Over the years, policy changes, including the 1973 Endangered Species Act, have allowed a portion of water to be allocated for environmental protection, while also allowing restrictions on farmers’ use of groundwater if it negatively impacts the environment.

Vanden Heuvel said these policies can be quite powerful, requiring farmers and other water users to prioritize rules that benefit endangered species.

“You’re not allowed to hurt the species, and economic considerations really aren’t to be taken into account,” he said.

This year, an estimated 350,000 acre-feet of water—roughly 114 billion gallons—was slated to be released, calculated using data from the previous year, according to a joint letter in August to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources from several local water agencies, obtained by The Epoch Times.

That’s nearly $200 million worth of water if purchased on the open market, according to the agencies.

The outflow is mandated by the state’s Delta Smelt Summer-Fall Habitat Action plan, which requires freshwater water flows to improve habitat conditions for the Delta smelt.

Local water agencies cite recent scientific studies suggesting the released water yields no measurable benefits for the fish.

In the letter, Westlands Water District, San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority, State Water Contractors, and Friant Water Authority cite data suggesting that due to the small number of Delta smelt in the area, the outflow is unlikely to result in any population-level benefits.

“Recent monitoring for Delta smelt has yielded very disappointing results ... indicating that only one smelt has been observed in recent weeks,” the letter said. “It is very possible that ... there may not be a remaining, measurable population of Delta smelt to benefit from a Fall ... action.”