EPA diving into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Urban water agencies and Central Valley irrigation districts hit by pumping cutbacks in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta have long groused that federal regulators are obsessed with the effects of the big pumps that send water south and haven't paid enough attention to myriad other stresses on the delta environment.

Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signaled that it is turning its attention to those other factors and may step up regulation of pollutants contributing to the delta's ecological collapse.

"We are looking at those stressors," said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA's regional administrator. “Are there things that should be done at the state, local and federal level that currently aren’t? Are there things that EPA should be doing that we currently are not?"

The agency released an 84-page overview of delta problems that is the first step in possibly issuing new regulations. Among the pollutants highlighted in the report are Sacramento's sewage discharges, urban pesticide runoff and selenium in farm drainage.

“There are currently 14 tons a day of ammonia coming from the Sacramento wastewater treatment facility," Blumenfeld said. "Making sure that gets dealt with is incredibly important.”

A regional water quality board recently adopted new discharge limits for the Sacramento plant, but local officials have complained vehemently about the cost of meeting the new standards.

The public will have 60 days to comment on the EPA document, which has no regulatory effect. The agency hopes to decide by the end of the year if it will propose new rules to address the delta woes.

Native fish populations have collapsed in the delta, triggering endangered-species protections that have reduced water shipments to San Joaquin Valley farms and Southern California cities. The cutbacks have been challenged in court by water agencies, which argued that pollution and invasive species were the big culprits in the fish decline, not water shipments.

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-- Bettina Boxall

Comments

[Cara]

To Mike, I would say that the EPA has an over-arching responsibility to ensure water quality and although they should include other organizations, they really have to conduct their own studies as well to ensure there isn't any bias.

[Cara]

Great, as an environmental consultant working on water quality issues it is nice to see EPA step up. It is difficult to come to consensus with all of the farming and other land use issues in the area a priority but without a quality water source California wouldn't be livable.

[Public Advocate]

The EPA is infinitely more trust worthy than a special interest lobby group like the Calif Farm Water Coalition representing agri-business. Yes, the governtment can help the average citizen and should not be feared, except when it's run by the Republican Tea Party, while agri-business is specifically designed to only help itself.

[R]

Mike - I couldn't have said it better. One thing I know for sure is the number of Governmental organizations working on this issue is preposterous. From boards, stewardships, conservancies to councils. At a minimum all entities involved should either consolidate or pool resources to identify the problems and work together to utilize the precious resource that nature provides without sacrificing the overall health of the Delta. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for a non-profit to be heard above the mass of government organizations.

[David_U]

The California Farm Water Coalition, a collection of large wealthy corporate farmers like the Boswell Corporation, and Paramount Farms, a Stewart Resnick, a billionaire farmer. Tey do not care about the health of the environment, they actually want the water to resell to the southland at a 10:1 markup.

The pumping has caused a reversal of flow in the delta, resulting in salt water intrusion for the farmers around the delta itself. The amount of water allocated, is more than is actually available. Read "The King of California", and also look up: www.alternet.org/water/144427/meet_stewart_resnick,_corporate_farming_billionaire_and_one-man_environmental_wrecking_crew

[Sean]

All I could think of when I read this article is the most feared phrase heard by any citizen, "We are from the government and are here to help."

[Mike Wade]

Considerable effort is already underway through multiple state/federal agencies involved in the BDCP and Delta Vision programs to study the Delta's environment and its role in water supply. This action has brought California the closest it has ever been to solving Delta environmental and water issues. The "announced" entry by EPA to conduct similar work smacks of unnecessary duplication. EPA should join those agencies already involved in seeking solutions instead of initiating its own study program.

Mike Wade
California Farm Water Coalition