Some Local Farmers Are Being Hit Hard By Water Restrictions

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published August 21, 2008 at 7:12 AM PDT

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

How are local farmers dealing with the order to cut their water usage by 30 percent? Why are farmers the first group of people to deal with mandatory water restrictions? Host Tom Fudge speaks to KPB

Audio posted in the afternoon.

Tom Fudge: This evening, KPBS-TV will air a documentary that examines the water shortage that has become well established in California. It's a shortage that's already hitting San Diego farmers very hard. This is due in part to an agreement many of them signed years ago that allows the water district to severely limit their water use in times of drought.

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The current water shortage is the result of years of light rain in California and the rest of the West. Normally you'd expect to be able to find a silver lining. The problem with this dark cloud, maybe I should say the lack of dark clouds, is the infamous Delta Smelt court ruling. That decision seems sure to reduce water shipments to us from the Sacramento Delta for years to come.

"Agriculture: San Diego's Working Water" is an Envision San Diego Special that will air tonight at 8pm on KPBS-TV. Cable channel 11, broadcast channel 15.

Guest

Joanne Faryon, reporter for KPBS News .
Chuck Badger, local citrus grower and president of the San Diego County Farm Bureau .
Brian Thomas, chief financial officer for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California .