San Joaquin County is pushing an alternative to the Delta Tunnel — re-enforce aging levees and restore 100 percent water flow in the California Aqueduct that is being severely compromised by subsidence

As such, county leaders are urging the Delta Stewardship Council reject the Department of Water Resources’ Delta Tunnel consistency certification.

“Congressman (John) Garamendi said it best, we are being asked to make a false choice,” said SJ Supervisor Steve Ding who represents the county’s fourth district that lies in the heart of the Delta.”

“This isn’t just about moving water — it’s about moving cleaner water while protecting Delta communities and our economy. Right now, there is no clear way to pay for this project, and Californians deserve honest answers.”

The county is backing State Senator Jerry McNerney’s legislation to strengthen levees and address shrinking capacity issues that are plaguing the movement of water to Southern California and farmers in the south San Joaquin Valley.

“We can meet California’s water needs and protect the Delta at the same time — but the tunnel is not the solution,” Ding said.

The county is asking the Delta Stewardship Council to closely and impartially examine the evidence presented during the Delta Tunnel consistency appeals hearing and reject any determination that relies on incomplete, unsupported, or false conclusions, or interpretations of the Council’s regulations that would undermine the Delta Reform Act’s coequal goals.

McNerney’s Senate Bill 872 directs $300 million annually from greenhouse gas reduction fees slapped on polluters for the next 20 years to protect the reliability of California’s primary water source for decades to come.

That includes:

*$150 million annually to the Delta Conservancy for levee improvements, including projects that restore habitat.

*$150 million annually to the Department of Water Resources for subsidence repairs along State Water Project canals

The basic premises driving the backers of SB 872 are:

*Subsidence of water infrastructure is one of the biggest threats to Californians' water security — more than 200 miles of the State Water Project have been impacted and require significant repairs as soon as possible, or else there is a risk of an 87% reduction in delivery capability.

*The Delta is the largest and most important estuary on the West Coast. It consists of 1,100 miles of levees that protect farms, ecosystems and freshwater from saltwater intrusion and provide essential flood protection for the region, including for more than 500,000 people, along with farms, businesses, and historic resources.

*Many of the Delta’s critical levees date back to the 1800s and no longer meet the US Army Corp of Engineers safety standards. The levees are at risk of breaching.

 The Delta Stewardship Council estimates that necessary levee improvements will cost, in total, about $3.24 billion, but will protect $22 billion in state assets.

Repairs caused by subsidence – the collapse of land due to groundwater overdrafting — are estimated to cost $3 billion over the next 20 years according to the State Water Project.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com