[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 3, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                    WE NEED TO PROPERLY MANAGE WATER

  (Mr. COSTA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring attention to the failure of 
California State agencies and Federal agencies to properly manage 
California's water system as a result of the El Nino storms that we 
have been receiving.
  El Nino years, like this one, are California's hope of digging out of 
the historical drought conditions that we are facing. There is very 
high likelihood that most of the State will experience flood 
conditions, while communities in the San Joaquin Valley that I 
represent will receive a zero water allocation.
  This year we have already missed an opportunity to move significant 
amounts of water to regions of California that need it most in the San 
Joaquin Valley.
  As a result of the State and Federal agencies' inability to operate 
in the most flexible range allowable, over 160,000 acre-feet of water 
has been lost this week alone and over half a million acre-feet has 
been lost this year. Meanwhile, an estimated total of 2 million acre-
feet of water has gone out to the ocean.
  State and Federal agencies are failing to take advantage of the water 
in the system today, and that is unacceptable. It is a disservice to 
all Californians. It is simply immoral.

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