A local water group is one of three groups suing to keep Northstate water from being shipped South. Members of "Aqualliance" told Action News today that local waterways and aquifers would be at risk, if water districts sell thousands of acre-feet of surface water ... and pump groundwater instead, for crops like rice.
The suit by "Aqualliance", the "California Water Impact Network", and the "Califonria Sportfishing Protection Alliance" ... seeks action, not money. Barbara Vlamis is the Executive Director, "We're hoping it will produce a decent environmental impact report that will analyze all the impacts, propose mitigation, and come up with alternatives. That's what the law requires, that's what we're after."
Farmer Bob Hennigan is a member of "Aqualliance", "The environment's only a third of this. The other two thirds are fishermen and farmers. we all have a good deal at stake and I think everybody in the community has a good deal at stake. This is our Northstate economy."
The Federal water project originates at Shasta Dam ... the State water project, at Lake Oroville. The government's 2010-2011 Water Transfer Program calls for nearly 400-thousand acre feet of water to be sold to water buyers South of the San Francsico Bay, and Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. ###
