Judge Tentatively Invalidates Landmark California Water Deal
More than 30 million acre-feet of water - enough to cover the state of Pennsylvania a foot deep - would move from farms to cities in Southern California over the 75-year life of the deal. But Superior Court Judge Roland Candee ruled in Sacramento that the state improperly agreed to pick up much of the cost of saving the shrinking Salton Sea in the southeastern California desert. Restoring the state's largest lake was a crucial piece of the agreement. The state put no limit on costs, "even if they ultimately amounted to millions or billions of dollars," violating a constitutional limit on assuming debts, Candee wrote. "The Court has no ability to sanction a way to contract around the Constitution," he wrote. The judge will hear arguments next Thursday to decide whether to make the ruling final. Cities like San Diego and Los Angeles were taking billions of extra gallons of Colorado River water over the years, angering other Western states. The pact outlined a plan for California to wean itself.
written by
ChrisAustin
1259 days ago
written by
aquadoc
1259 days ago
