On the recordDecember 8, 2014
I thank the ranking member for the opportunity to speak on H.R. 5781, the California Emergency Drought Relief Act. Mr. Speaker, we have been here before, and we will be here again until Congress acts to provide authority for increased operational flexibility for California's water projects. The American Geophysical Union released a report last week that indicates, according to some of the measures they are taking, that the 2012-2014 drought affecting California is the worst in 1,200 years. The 2014 drought is responsible for part of the greatest absolute reduction to water availability to agriculture that we have ever seen. But we can operate the projects differently for different outcomes. The water modeling experts in the area I represent have indicated to me that without additional authority to move water, unless California receives 150 percent of its normal average rainfall this year, which is unlikely, the water allocation on both the east side and the west side of the San Joaquin Valley will be zero. Last year it was zero, and next year it will be zero. But urban users in the bay area and southern California, they will get water. The fish, they will get water. But the folks on the east and west side of the San Joaquin Valley will get a zero water allocation unless we exceed 150 percent of normal. I would like the House to think about that. We are talking about 2 years without surface water that forms the basis of the economy of the region.…
