WEBCAST: Feds want to give San Luis Reservoir to state, local water districts

WASHINGTON, D.C.
February 16, 2007 1:10pm

The state and some Central Valley irrigation districts would end up owning the giant San Luis Reservoir west of Los Banos under a deal being developed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

In return for the reservoir, pumping stations and canals, the proposal would see Central Valley farmers paying for the cost of cleaning up selenium pollution caused by irrigation water drainage problems.

Farmers had sued the Bureau of Reclamation, saying it failed to come up with a solution to disposal of water contaminated with selenium.

(Bureau of Reclamation spokesman Jeff McCracken outlines the proposal and some of its history in a CVBT Audio Interview. Please click on the link below to listen or download.)

The federal government has been looking at paying some $2.5 billion to fix the drainage problems.

Irrigation water used on the west side of the Central Valley does not percolate into the ground because of a layer of clay beneath the soil. The result has been selenium leaching from the water.

The Bureau of Reclamation is expected to make public later this month its best ideas on how to deal with the pollution problem.