This recently released (April 2006) report from the US Chamber of Commerce, The Golden State Action Plan, had this to say about Water:
Water
Critical investments in water infrastructure simply cannot wait any longer. A U.S. Department of the Interior publication lists the Bay Area, the Central Valley, and Southern California as areas of the West where existing water supplies are or will be inadequate to meet the water demands of people, cities, farms, and the environment even under normal water supply conditions. The report points to five realities underlying the crisis: explosive population growth in arid areas; inadequate existing water supplies; overallocated water supplies; aging water facilities limiting management options; and management by crisis, rather than management to prevent crisis.
In addition, California has hundreds of miles of levees in the Delta, the majority of which are a century old. Many do not meet current standards for safety and flood control. Importantly, a recent court ruling makes clear that the state is responsible for flood damage even if the levees are privately owned. The most recent estimate on repairing the levees put the price at $1 billion, but the price tag will likely be higher.
The Schwarzenegger administration has proposed $35 billion in water infrastructure that will restore levees in delta regions, boosting both flood protection and enhancing the state’s ability to deliver a quality water supply throughout California.
(p. 8-9) (highlighting added)
