The era of remediative technology

Southern California water interests had a good decade this week.

First, Professor Patricia Glibert, an ecologist on the Delta NAS panel, concludes that nitrates from Sacramento’s waste water are the root cause of the decline of the Delta smelt. From Mike Taugher of the Contra Costa Times:

The [Prof. Glibert’s] paper says the way to start fixing the Delta is to reduce the nutrient discharges from the Sacramento sewer system.

“Until such reductions occur, other measures, including regulation of water pumping or manipulations of salinity, as has been the current strategy, will
likely show little beneficial effect,” the paper concludes. “Without such action, the recovery of the endangered pelagic fish species is unlikely at best.”

Then, Judge Wanger finds that claims of harm afforded the smelt (and salmon, etc.) from water exportation are guesstimations. Again, from Mr. Taugher, citing Wanger’s decision:

“The exact restrictions imposed, which are inflicting material harm to humans and the human environment, are not supported by the record,” he wrote in a 134-page ruling. “Rather, they are product of guesstimations and attempts to try to achieve ‘equity,’ rendering it impossible to determine whether the (Delta pumping restrictions) are adequately protective, too protective, or not protective enough.”

These two artifacts, one scientific, the other legal, are new and significant. They of course will be used by water interests to further their claims on Delta water.

Fairly or unfairly, they will also be undermined by claims of bias (who is paying for this study by Glibert? ACWA! Aha!).

The DNP has long acknowledged that local Delta urban and agricultural interests are in part responsible for the Delta’s ecosystem problems. We published this diagram, the product of research in the Peak Water studio, in early March.

The problem with both the local and the southern water interest communities is that they resort to polarizing and divisive strategies to hold their political ground.

Monitor and meter groundwater pumping in Kern County or Westlands? Over my dead libertarian body.

That locally produced and dumped nitrates could be a significant factor of ecosystem degradation? Impossible! I recycle.

Take a minute and try and contemplate the vast quantities of nitrate that are produced not only by city folk but also in the form of fertilizer and animal waste by agriculture.

It’s not hard to believe that nitrates may just be the single biggest contributor to the problem(s) Prof. Glibert points out.

The real problem, though, is a political, not scientific, one. No one interest will ever budge, because the facts will never support the idea that there is a “root cause” location or culprit to the Delta’s myriad problems.

California has Prop 13 and all of its descendants, fiscally straitjacketing the state and making it nearly impossible for responsible people to deal with any of these complicated issues. It’s indulgent, and very risky, really, to think that the state can simply wait until that indisputable culprit is found. The state will only find itself.

Read Wanger’s statement - that’s what he is saying: All of these guesstimations are “attempts to try to achieve ‘equity,’ rendering it impossible to determine whether the (Delta pumping restrictions) are adequately protective, too protective, or not protective enough.”

Pretty much makes sense, but it is going to be interesting to see what the actual mechanics of his decision are. Wanger has delayed this part of his findings. The DNP urges him to retain the status quo, since his ruling seems to be that he has no idea what should be done.

Having no idea ourselves is why the DNP really liked this editorial in today’s Sacramento Bee. After pointing out that is way premature to point the finger at the Sacramento sewer system for the Delta’s woes (did Prof. Glibert even say or write this, or is that Taugher’s take?), the editorial goes on to suggest that

Instead of heading down this confrontational path, water exporters and Sacramento sanitation would be wise to focus their resources on speeding up a $1 billion upgrade of a treatment plant that eventually will be needed. If it helps the Delta, all sides should be willing to help. That would be far more productive than continuing with the current pattern of finger-pointing and scientific cherry-picking.

Exactly. Sooner or later, Californians will understand that they have no choice but to lead the way in ushering the Era of Remediative Technology. Why not turn what Californians invent into the next big intellectual and industrial age?

At the other end of California’s water supply chain, Orange County has many mitigative technologies integrated into its infrastructure:

Up north, at the source of water, there is every reason to require Sacramento, Lodi, Stockton, Tracy and other communities build new infrastructure that will discharge water back into the Delta that is as clean as the water taken out of it.