The Modesto City Council may have reason to object to a proposed water sale between the Modesto Irrigation District and San Francisco. The 25,000 acre-feet of water sale would make the city the district’s number two customer, leaving it with less rights.
San Francisco has offered the irrigation district substantially more per acre-foot of water. Currently, Modesto area farmers play $10 per acre-foot; San Francisco offered $700 per acre-foot for the first 2,250 acre-feet. That’s the power –both of the purse and political power – that local residents feel could lead to a bad deal for the city.
The Modesto Irrigation District has already put forward language that would require local needs to be fulfilled before any future transfer. However, some residents look at past experiences with another water transfer deal with suspicion towards the newly negotiated deal.
From the Modesto Bee:
As the debate continues over the Modesto Irrigation District’s proposed water sale to San Francisco, some of Modesto’s elected officials have voiced concerns and do not deny that the city is contemplating legal action.
Councilmen Dave Geer and Dave Cogdill Jr. said Wednesday they are against the proposed deal that could transfer more than 25,000 acre-feet of water per year to San Francisco.
Read the full article here.