This week, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) hosted the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Cliff Bentz (OR-02) for a traveling water tour through the Central Valley. The lawmakers met with water agencies and stakeholders from Fresno to Bakersfield to discuss California’s water delivery systems, water storage capacity, and burdensome regulations that make it increasingly difficult for agricultural producers and rural communities to access water.

The members also discussed Congressman Valadao’s WATER for California Act, legislation he introduced in September to improve operational stability, infrastructure, and accountability to bring more water to the Central Valley.

“Ensuring our rural and agricultural communities throughout the Central Valley have access to the water they need has always been my top priority,” said Congressman Valadao. “For too long, the Central Valley has suffered from devastating drought conditions, unfair water allocations, and a gross mismanagement of the water we do have by Sacramento bureaucrats and environmentalists. These discussions highlighted the reforms desperately needed to bring more water to the Valley. Thank you to Ranking Member Bentz for making the trip to the Central Valley to have these important conversations on drought resiliency and water management, and for his continued leadership on this critical issue.”

“It was great to have the opportunity to tour water systems with Congressman Valadao in the Central Valley. All across the American West, including in my district in Eastern Oregon, we are facing drought challenges,” said Ranking Member Bentz. “We must adapt if we are to meet the water needs of cities, farms, ranches, homes, businesses, and tribes. Part of that solution will include investing in smart solutions like water storage and watershed management. Additionally, we must make fair and balanced decisions about how to allocate these water resources, starting at the federal level and going all the way to the local level, to ensure that all stakeholders’ needs are met and communities can thrive.”

Background:

The Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife has jurisdiction over America’s water resources, federal irrigation projects, generation of electric power from federal water projects, interstate water issues and fisheries management. Rep. Valadao and Ranking Member Bentz met with Friant Water Authority, Kings River Water Association, Kings River Conservation District, Westlands Water District, and Kern County Water Agency. They also met with farmers, Kings County officials, and representatives from Tulare Irrigation District, Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District and North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency.

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