Underground tunnels proposed for Calif. water woes

San Francisco Chronicle -

Federal and state officials threw their support Wednesday behind the construction of two underground tunnels as the best option for restoring California's freshwater delta and meeting the needs of farmers and Southern California cities.

The diversion of water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to croplands and urban areas has furthered the decline of the largest estuary in the West. Officials are trying to find a solution that would reduce the ecological stress on the delta without harming the state's agricultural economy.

Under the plan, two tunnels that are 33-feet in diameter and 150 feet below the surface would deliver water from north of the delta to the south. Water users would pay the tab, an estimated $13 billion. The tunnels would take about 10 years to construct.

The plan drew immediate protests from environmental groups, who said it doesn't include specific goals that would measure success in protecting salmon and other endangered species. They also said it failed to contain measures that would lead people to conserve water.

The delta, where the state's major rivers drain from the northern and central Sierra Nevada, is the hub of California's water supply. Both the state and federal government run massive pumps that siphon drinking and irrigation water to more than 25 million Californians and the Central Valley farms that grow much of the nation's fruits and vegetables.

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is a federal and state initiative that would determine a framework for dealing with the declining health of the delta, as well as the increasing demand for its water. One of the leading players in the negotiations, the Westlands Water District, pulled out of negotiations a few weeks ago.

The announcement seemed designed to give stakeholders and the public a sense of progress.

"The status quo is not acceptable. The status quo will only result in a continuing and endless cycle of conflict, litigation and paralysis," Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar said during a conference call summarizing the plan to reporters.

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