A Necessary First Step

The 1994 agreement among historic adversaries on water quality and allocation in the San Francisco Bay-San Joaquin Delta ended decades of bitter fighting. But since the deserved kudos all around, the consensus among farmers, environmentalists, urban water users and state and federal officials as to how best to implement the Bay-Delta accord has, at times, been shaky.

The strength of the commitment by all sides to the accords now faces a key test. Unless both houses of the Legislature agree to put a bond measure before the voters this November to fund construction of initial improvements, momentum may be lost.

The Bay-Delta system is perhaps the state’s most important water resource. Its 40,000 acres of wetlands provides drinking water for 20 million people, including two-thirds of the drinking water in Southern California. It also provides irrigation water for 45% of the nation’s fruits and vegetables and supports 120 fish species. But the health of this resource has declined significantly in recent times. Water quality and availability are a problem, fish and wildlife populations have deteriorated and the delta’s levee system needs attention.

The 1994 accords are a framework to solve these problems. State and federal agencies agreed on new water quality standards, predictable water supplies for urban, agricultural and environmental needs and set in motion a process for resolving longer-term conflicts.

Now money is the issue. SB 900 would provide $995 million in general obligation bonds to start construction. With final legislative action, which may come today, and voter approval in November, the state could begin levee improvements, widen some delta channels, improve waste water treatment facilities and purchase land for wetland and riparian habitat. Subsequent improvements may be funded through user fees, revenue bonds and cost-sharing with the federal government. But Sacramento should take this first step.