Rep. Cardoza released the following statement on the reduced allocations for agricultural water announced by the California Department of Water Resources:

Statement

The California Department of Water Resources initial allocation of just 5 percent for the State Water Project today is nothing short of an abomination. This is the lowest initial allocation of water that has ever been awarded in the history of this water system. We have moved beyond a regional water emergency and are now staring in the face of a statewide emergency and a potential national food crisis. It is this simple: Without water, our California farmers cannot grow the crops that feed our nation.

Over the past year my colleagues and I have provided numerous proposals -- such as various water improvement projects and legislative fixes -- that would provide real relief to our farmers and ensure water is delivered for their crops. Just last month, I introduced bipartisan legislation with my fellow Valley Congress members calling for a reconsultation of the biological opinions on salmon and smelt, as well as a review of the science and all of the factors affecting water quality in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This bill would force an objective scientific examination of the declines of fish populations in the Delta and prevent the pumps from being made the scapegoat for all the problems in the Delta.

The state's water shortages are being exacerbated by the regulatory drought. It is essential that the U.S. Department of the Interior and other state and federal agencies provide greater flexibility in their water management decisions as well as work collaboratively with the state of California on the proposals my colleagues and I have offered to address the water shortages.

In addition to facing unemployment rates of more than 40 percent in some of our Valley farming communities, our nation today is one significant step closer to becoming an importer of the vegetables, fruits and nuts currently grown in California. This must end and it must end now. We have solutions. We simply need the appropriate agencies to explore every creative approach that can both turn on the pumps and jump start the California and national economies.

Source