Water Summit Notes

Some thoughts from listening to the panels at the San Joaquin Business Council Water Summit

1. A good case was made for Regional Self-sufficiency, most notably by Tom Zuckerman. See this plan.

2. Dino Cortopassi was the only person I heard raise the point that higher water prices could be part of the solution. It is the proven best way to encourage conservation and reduce waste, and needs to be a bigger part of the conversation.

3. Two weeks after the election, and I saw my first political ad of the 2010 Governor's race. Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi brought a video bio to introduce himself. His speech was actually ok, but I'm tired of political ads.

4. I picked up a nice Restore the Delta bumpersticker.

5. Kern County Supervisor Ray Watson made an interesting comment to the effect of "We have oil, you have water" in the context of regions working together. I couldn't help but wonder about the reaction in Bakersfield to the proposed oil severance tax. I'm not surprised that they don't think it's fair. However, it seems it is ok to take water from the Delta as long as the export users pay the cost for conveyance. If we pay for a pipeline to Bakersfield, does the Delta get a right to the oil?