[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 44 (Monday, March 21, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H1468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WATER STORAGE IN CALIFORNIA

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, after years of extreme drought, California 
is finally receiving, thanks to the Good Lord and Mother Nature, 
significant rain and snowfall, perhaps enough to return to near normal 
conditions.
  However, despite continued mandatory statewide rationing, Federal 
agencies are still making decisions that result in the loss of massive 
amounts of water that could be stored, or decisions that will be 
harmful to agriculture. Just 5 days ago, the Sacramento River ran so 
high that enough water to supply over 54,000 people for an entire year 
flowed past each hour.
  While recent storms have improved our water supplies, our largest 
reservoirs are not yet full. They soon could be, but are not yet full. 
It is precisely during these times that water agencies need to be very 
cautious and very careful in managing these water supplies so that, as 
our reservoirs do become full, we can carry through until maybe the 
next drought.
  So will they allow these reservoirs to become full, or will they let 
water flow down because of bad flood data or fish needs?
  We will see.

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