Inyo supes dig in their heels versus LADWP
Direct Harrington to “take a hard line.”
You could be forgiven if you thought there were two completely different conversations taking place at the second drought workshop held this past Tuesday by the Inyo County Board of Supervisors in Independence.
The supervisors seemed to think the workshop was to discuss what could be done “right now” to address the shortfalls in availability of irrigation water that threatens the livelihood of local ranchers and farmers.
Representatives of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), appearing via speakerphone, doggedly pushed their future agenda for reduced allocations of water on the Owens Dry Lake. LADWP wants the county to write letters of support for this course of action.
Coming on the heels of the Tech Group meeting held in Bishop the day before to find ways to free up water for irrigation, the supervisors were given a list of potential sources. Few would have a significant impact on providing relief.
Water savings are possible. However, in many cases it would mean completely shutting off water to some projects.
Klondike Lake in Big Pine is one such project, but the supervisors did not appear to like that option. Its 1,600 acre feet would only provide enough water for a week-and-a-half of agricultural irrigation.
Cutting off water to off-river lakes and ponds could save between 1,000-4,000 acre feet. Adjusting base flows on the Lower Owens River Project, which would require the approval of all the MOU parties, could save between 1,500 – 4,000 acre feet. Cutting back excess water to the LORP Delta could save 1,100 acre feet, but again, all the MOU parties would have to agree, which has proven difficult in the past.
Up to 250 acre feet could be possibly saved from Diaz Lake and another 300 to 400 from Warren Lake, both of which are also under an MOU agreement.
The combined totals from reducing the supply to all projects discussed by the Tech Group are between 4,050-9,450 acre feet, far short of the needed savings of approximately 16,000 acre feet to supply all irrigation projects, including ranchers.
There was clearly residual resentment carried over from last week’s workshop that saw a letter go out from LADWP just before the meeting notifying ranchers that their water would be shut off on May 1.
Such an action should have involved the County of Inyo under the Long Term Water Agreement and the letter was quickly rescinded when the county threatened legal action.
Also, any actions which affect wildlife or fisheries need to involve the Department of Fish and Wildlife, who were not at the meeting. This only complicates matters further.
The County and the City of Los Angeles met again on Thursday in Independence. County Supervisors instructed Dr. Bob Harrington, Director of the County Water Department, to take a hard line with LADWP.
