Fresno, Calif., (August 15, 2017) – “After decades of talk and nearly two years of a regional effort to put together a stellar application packet, Fresno County Farm Bureau celebrates the San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Authority’s official filing of the Temperance Flat Dam bid for state water bond funding.
“Temperance Flat is an absolute must for the viability of farms throughout the Central Valley. The lack of a reliable water supply over the past decade has cost this region billions of dollars in agricultural production, economic activity and jobs. This project will benefit all Californians and Americans who depend on a domestic food supply while ensuring water solutions to our local communities.
“Fresno County Farm Bureau has been a supporter of Temperance Flat since the beginning. Our organization was among the many in our communities who marched for water in 2009, and who, again, in 2014, fought for the $2.7 billion in Proposition 1 funding for storage projects including Temperance Flat. Make no mistake…our statewide coalition specifically sought funding for aboveground storage projects knowing that Temperance Flat is the best project in the state to benefit.
“The project’s location is ideal for capturing, storing and moving water South-of-Delta while having minimal effect on the environment. Additionally, with the implementation of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, Temperance Flat will allow local communities and agriculture the opportunity to put additional water supplies back into the ground. In 2016-2017 alone, as much as 2.5 million-acre feet will be released as flood flows that should have been used for water/irrigation supplies, as well as groundwater recharge, in both this and future years.
“This project alone is not a cure-all to our local water supply challenges, but it is a necessary step towards building a reliable water future for the Valley. Fresno County Farm Bureau now asks the California Water Commission to fund this needed project. It is our hope to see ground broken on this significant infrastructure investment in the not-too-distant future.”
Statement by CEO Ryan Jacobsen
