The state’s Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan will devastate eastern Merced County’s water supply by diverting it away from Lake McClure (above) and sending it north to the Bay Delta – where it can then be pumped to other farms and cities throughout the state.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Read an article about the Bay Delta Plan by MID General Manager John Sweigard
The state’s Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan is moving forward. It will devastate eastern Merced County’s water supply by diverting water away from Lake McClure (left/above) and sending it north to the Bay Delta – where it can then be pumped to other farms and cities throughout the state.
In October, state environmental officials announced they will implement the State Water Resources Control Board’s dubious Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan. Their misguided policy will divert massive amounts of water away from storage in Lake McClure for use in our community, and send it north to the state’s water hub, the Bay Delta. From there, it can be pumped and diverted to cities and other areas’ farms throughout the state. Under the guise of supporting and protecting salmon, the state’s plan will have a devastating impact on our community’s water supply and economy.
Every resident of eastern Merced County now stands to lose:
- A robust and historic local water supply, including drinking water quality.
- Hundreds of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in local economic activity.
- Recreation at Lakes McClure and McSwain, including camping, fishing, boating, and more.
- Water flowing in local streams throughout the year, including Bear Creek, and other local environmental benefits.
It must be understood, Lake McClure is not part of the state’s system of reservoirs and aqueducts: it’s yours. Lake McClure was paid for and built by – and for – our community with the blood, sweat, and financial investment of our region’s ancestors more than 100 years ago. It is completely owned and operated by your local Merced Irrigation District.
With a 1-million-acre-foot-capacity, Lake McClure provides water to local agriculture and replenishes local groundwater that our cities use for drinking. It provides significant environmental benefits – and cool recreation on a hot day.
As the state begins to implement its Bay-Delta Water Plan, that all stands to be lost. Take action now by signing the petition and writing a letter to the governor(downloadable letter template) and other key legislators to urge them to stop this failed plan.