3 Comments

State water policy in California is a travesty. Why we don’t have a string of nuclear powered Desal plants up and down the coast of this state is a huge question. The greenies persist in the phony pursuit of decreasing C02, which they claim is going to destroy the world with “global warming”. (These folks would much better contemplate eternal warming, but I digress.)

Wind and solar will no way replace coal, gas and nuclear power plants taken off line. Why the citizens of California put up with this folly is truly a testimony to ignorance, both real and willful.

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I grew up on a local farm, and am a 'fish out of water' when it comes to the details of water issues, however, it appears our State should be working on creating more dams, reservoirs, canals, pipelines, etc since they haven't done anything for 42 years and the population has grown by 75% as you pointed out. Isn't it common sense to do get that done? What are the names of the three County Supervisors who denied the frost ponds? Do they have the facts? Hopefully, they will reconsider. It is important for the people of our beautiful County to pay attention to who we elect and their stances on issues such as water. Your article is providing great educational value about the water issues we have. Thank you!

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Although I basically agree that the vineyard in this article is getting the short end of the stick in this case and I overall agree with the “many water basins in the state are in some form of overdraft meaning we are taking more water out of the aquifer than is being replaced”. But I am very disappointed in the parroting of Sean Hannity and other Republican talking heads with this shortsighted “Moreover, upwards of 40% of the water in storage is no longer reserved for use during droughts, instead the water is released for fish habitat!" It is not wasted water! There used to be a viable salmon fishery right here in Santa Barbara with $$ flowing into the counties’ coffers. The value of the commercial salmon fishery to the State is pegged at 1.4 billion. I doubt there are more than a handful left in SB. They were out of business this year and probably next year. The winter run chinook is on the verge of extinction, yet salmon have senior rights in California water law. But you know how that works. “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting” I think that’s the way Mark Twain saw it.

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