[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 147 (Wednesday, October 7, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H6844-H6845]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CALIFORNIA'S WATER CRISIS

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)

[[Page H6845]]

  

  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, California's water-year starts each year on 
October 1. The 2016 California water-year started last Thursday, and we 
come into that year with the six main reservoirs of the Central Valley 
Project at only 24 percent of their total capacity, or a combined 
200,000 acre-feet below where they started the water-year in 2015, just 
1 year ago.
  That represents enough water supply, 200,000 acre-feet, to supply the 
city of Sacramento for 2 years. Half of the reservoirs don't even have 
20 percent of their capacity. The San Luis Reservoir has less than 10 
percent of its Federal water capacity.
  El Nino, though welcomed if it happens, will not stop the drought in 
California because the State has not invested nearly enough in 
additional water storage for our State and its people. Congress and the 
California State government need to act now to open new water resources 
so we don't fallow more farms and thirst more cities, or we will risk 
doing irreparable harm to California's $1 trillion economy.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to take action now.

                          ____________________