Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

I am a retired project manager for water pipeline material. I was in the water treatment plant supply business for over 35 years. I have a basic understanding of water rights in California. I live in Copperopolis with a view of Lake Tulloch. I am not a millionaire nor do I live in a million dollar home on Lake Tulloch.

I read your editorial comments in regards to Lake Tulloch. And I found them to be quite offensive to those who live on and around the lake. Your assumption that we are naive, spoiled children is absurd.

Most here at Lake Tulloch understand how, what, where, and why this reservoir was built. We also understand, with a long standing drought, we could lose the lake for any period of time. So you can take your careless and flippant thoughts of us and pontoon boats and shelf it!

What I don’t understand are irrigation districts who want to sell water to outside areas of the state water which will come from Melones and Tulloch. And the 90% +/- profit of the water sales goes to the farmers associated with the districts. (So much for the poor farmer who struggled with sweat and blood to build such an “aquatic empire”.)

Mr. Wyatt. Farmers have many resources to finance and run their farms. The government also assists them in times of trouble. All I am asking for is a source of water to my home. We, the customers, have to pay for new pumps and installation it Tulloch is lowered (which is fine.. We all need to sacrifice). CCWD needs water for the residents of Copperopolis. Not for water skiing, boating or fishing. Water for our homes, Mr. Wyatt. If that alone is arrogant, then so be it.

Ralph Copeland

Copperopolis

Editor’s note” South San Joaquin Irrigation District is not selling water this year. Oakdale Irrigation District is meeting today to drop their plan to pay farmers to leave fields in their district fallow so they could of sold what water is saved to help farmers elsewhere save orchards and vines that will have to be taken out this year if they don’t have access to water. No farmer in the SSJID or OID grows the type of crops that are eligible for government assistance in times of trouble.