Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Monday endorsed the $11 billion water bond included as part of the five-bill package approved by state legislators last week. The bill, if passed by voters one year from now, will fund major dam and canal projects to help the state combat serious drought conditions that have plagued the region since 2005. Farmers throughout California--particularly in the San Joaquin Valley where a good portion of the nation's fruits and vegetables are grown--have lost millions from dwindling precipitation totals.
While nearby states like Oregon and Washington have made steps to protect endangered fish species by proposing embankment removal projects, California appears to be heading in the opposite direction. In October, lawmakers in Oregon approved the removal of four dams along the Klamath River, located in the state's southeastern region; two dams are also scheduled for removal by 2012 along the Elwha River, in northern Washington.
Fearing further crop damage, Central Valley farmers have been pushing for the construction of a reservoir near the 3,488 foot long Friant Dam, located in the Sierra Nevada foothills. If voters pass the water bond in November of 2010, money would be set aside for such projects. Canal construction to divert water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to areas hit especially hard by the four-year dry spell, is also a main focus of Gov. Schwarzenegger's administration.
Sacramento officials are also seeking city council support this week to draft plans for improvements to the area's Capitol Mall, which connects the downtown region to the westside. If allowed to proceed, officials will begin scouting potential architectural firms in the coming months. With the exception of the 160-foot-tall Tower Bridge, which was built in 1935 and crosses the Sacramento River, the city has long been considered aesthetically dull. Department heads will seek assistance from the American Institute of Architects should the proposal be accepted.
Schwarzenegger this week also projected California's budget could swing out of balance by as much as $7 billion by the end of the fiscal year. Schwarzenegger spoke the media Monday, emphasizing cuts in spending--not tax increases--was the likely path his administration was planning to take to offset the losses.
Comments