The U.S. Geological Survey recently released a Hayward Earthquake Scenario that reminds Bay Area residents and businesses to prepare for “the big one” and stresses the need for improving local infrastructure to protect San Francisco Bay Area water supplies in the event of a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on the Hayward Fault. CA WaterFix proponents are touting the report as a justification for building the tunnels as an upgrade to the current infrastructure system, but this exaggerates the report’s findings, which only mentions Delta levees being “affected” by aftershocks in the Survey’s modeled scenarios of the large earthquake. Other research by seismologists and geologists indicate that quakes originating on Bay Area earthquake faults, such as the August 2014 Napa quake, had little [...]
Myth Buster
Rebutting the Latest "Fast Facts" from Delta Tunnels Backers
On June 30, 2016 the California Natural Resources Agency put out another “fact sheet” extolling the virtues of the proposed California WaterFix (Delta Tunnels). This new effort is entitled “Fast Facts” and like most of the claims made by tunnel proponents, it plays fast and loose with the facts. Let’s take a deeper dive into some of the claims made in this new public relations effort… CLAIM: Secure clean water supplies for 25 million Californians and 3 million acres of farmland. FACT: In reality, 70 percent of the water used from the Delta goes for large industrial agriculture in the Southwestern San Joaquin Valley that contributes just 0.3% to the state’s GDP. CLAIM: Improve the [...]
Restore the Delta responds to False Screed from Gov. Brown-allied flack: Is this part of Westlands’ Water District’s $1 million PR campaign? Or Part of Californians for Water Security?
You know you’re getting your message through when one of Gov. Brown’s pro-tunnels front groups launches untruthful attacks on you. One of the legions of flacks being paid to push Gov. Brown’s Delta-destroying tunnels has attacked Restore the Delta in a typically truth-twisting screed. It’s difficult to believe the guy who bought Enron stock while advising Gov. Davis on energy policy. The same guy who bought fracking company stock while advising Speaker Perez has little credibility on the Delta. Who’s paying for these attacks on Restore the Delta? We do take it personally when false attacks are launched on us. So we thought we’d take a few minutes to respond, and then we’ll go back to fighting the stupid tunnels. [...]
There’s a Better Solution to the “California Water Fix” Tunnels and “California Eco Restore”
The SF Bay-Delta estuary is durable and sustainable. It is a jewel in the rough that needs some polishing. What the Delta needs is restored water flows and levee upgrades. With these improvements, the Delta can become a place where sustainable agriculture and a sustainable environment can thrive together. 1. Strengthen the existing Delta levees Strengthening existing Delta levees is a far more efficient and cost effective way to ensure water reliability for the state and preserve environmental and economic stability to the greater Delta, as levees protect water supply and quality. Upgrade costs for robust levees are $2-4 billion according to the Delta Protection Commission. In stark contrast, the CA Water Fix Delta tunnels could cost $60 billion when [...]
California Water Fix Tunnels Myths Addressed
Update: 7.22.16 Here’s more evidence showing that the earthquake risk to the Delta is exaggerated and just another scare tactic used by pro-Delta Tunnel proponents. This recent study by USGS, presented at the Delta Independence Science Board, show that the earthquake threat to Delta levees is significantly less than originally thought. The California Water Fix tunnels don’t eliminate earthquake threats to water supply. Earthquake risk mythmaking serves water exporters’ interests. Water exporters misrepresent the risk of earthquakes to generate support for the Delta Tunnels. Fattening the levees is a more effective solution to the California Water Fix. • Californians should work together to build a more seismically resistant Delta that will protect water exports, other critical infrastructure, and [...]
