With all the attention and debate swirling around the
water and political landscape in California, policy leaders should better understand the Sacramento Valley and the central role that water serves in shaping our special region. As a life-long resident of this region, I have spent my entire life gaining a deeper appreciation for the way our land and water resources work together to make the Sacramento Valley a truly unique and essential part of California.
On the leading edge of ecological and economical sustainability, the Sacramento Valley is an exceptional place to live, work and raise a family. The Sacramento Valley joins together a world-renowned mosaic of natural abundance: productive farmlands, wildlife refuges and managed wetlands, cities and rural communities, and meandering rivers that support and feed fisheries and natural habitats. Through efficient management of the region’s water resources, the Sacramento Valley will continue to provide what’s essential to California’s future success and prosperity. Nourishment and sustenance from the fields, habitats for fish and wildlife, recreation and a special quality of life—the Sacramento Valley is home to all of this, and more.
The leaders in the Sacramento Valley have joined together to portray this special region and help people in other parts of the state better understand What’s at Stake in the ongoing water debates. Most importantly, if water is redirected away from Northern California, there is no way of estimating the long-term negative effects on our environment and economy. Unfortunately, with all the pressures emanating from the Bay-Delta, we do not have the luxury of time to take a wait-and-see attitude. Now is the time to stand by our convictions and present a clear assessment and defense of what water means to the Sacramento Valley.
A copy of What’s at Stake is available at: What’s at Stake: The Importance of Protecting Water Resources in the Sacramento Valley.
