California State Water Resources Control Board was sued by the national government on Thursday about the controversial water policy that supported to increase the number of fish in California Delta rather than providing irrigation facility to farmers.
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against California to obstruct the combative plan endorsed for allowing more water in the San Joaquin River and to help revive the declined salmon numbers.
But actually, it was a larger effort to protect the Sacramento-SanJoaqin River Delta. The river is responsible for providing water to lots of habitat in California majority in San Francisco and other surrounding areas.
The state official mentioned it as “Ecosystem in Crisis”. In December SWRCB only 40% of water to exist in River without any human activity. But the environmentalists oppose this, saying at least 60% of clear flow will preserve the target fish population.
Also by this controversial plan, many farmers were affected. They think the water flow is not adequate for proper irrigation. Farmer protested the plan outside State Capitol as they felt the consequence would be troublesome for farming.
However, the plan was approved despite the attempt to take down and now many people have filed a lawsuit against it. Now the federal government also has joined the batter for water.
The Sacramento Bee reported: “The lawsuit … says the state water board’s plan would violate California’s own environmental laws, as well as foul up the federal government’s ability to deliver water from New Melones Reservoir on the Stanislaus River to member agencies of the Central Valley Project.”