Journalist and blogger John Fleck, author of Water is for Fighting Over: and Other Myths about Water in the West points out in his newsletter that Obama now favors the Sacramento Delta tunnels project (and Trump almost certainly will too.) Yes, it will be hugely expensive. Yes, the Delta may suffer. However the delivery of that water impacts the entire Southwest, yes it does.
Because the more water Southern California gets from Northern California, the less it will need from the Colorado River, water which seven states rely on.
From his email newsletter.
The interconnected nature of the West’s water system means California’s success or failure at dealing with the Sacramento Delta impacts the rest of us. Problems there make it harder for Southern California to make the deal that needs to be made to conserve water on the Colorado River. Non-Californians watch all of this nervously.
There’s a second California water issue that also makes me nervous. I had an op-ed Dec. 23 in the Sacramento Bee about the Salton Sea, arguing that without a solution to the Sea’s problems, it is hard for Southern California to join a Colorado River water conservation deal.