KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Fresno-Based Judge Orders Washington to Keep Water Flowing to Valley Farms.

Fresno-Based Judge Orders Washington to Keep Water Flowing to Valley Farms.

    Despite the cloudy skies, a bright ray of hope emerged Friday for west valley farmers and farm communities laid low by the valley's water crisis.  It came in the form of one valley judge's crucial decision.

      "Very good news," is what  Fresno County Farm Bureau President and westside farmer Dan Errotabere called news of a major ruling handed down Friday by Fresno-based, U.S. District Court Judge Oliver W. Wanger.  That decision?  To grant a temporary,14 day, restraining order on environmental restrictions to keep delta water pumps pumping at maximum capacity and water flowing to central valley farmers.

     "Everyone is pleased by this action.  It spells hope for the coming year that we're going to have water to farm," explained Erratabere.

      A hope made possible by Judge Wanger's order to  the Federal government to stop depriving the San Joaquin Valley and southern California of water, under the June 2009 National Marine Fisheries Service,  "Salmon Biological Opinion."

   California Latino Water Coalition Director Mario Santoyo elaborated; "The judge is basically saying why throw away this water to the ocean when we have an opportunity to store it for the needs and not threaten the species?"

      It is that biological opinion, critics say, that has turned a serious natural drought into a disastrous, man-made drought devastating farms and whole communities with unemployment rates of up to forty per-cent in some west Fresno County cities.

      "We finally are seeing the insanity that's been going on with all this water and this rain and the pumps being shut off and seeing a lot of water go out to the ocean, so it's extremely meaningful," added Erratabere.

       In a press release Friday, valley Congressman Jim Costa hailed Wanger's decision calling it, "… Indeed great news for our valley's farms and economy."

      Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Brandon Middleton, who is working on behalf of several valley farmers to fight the biological opinion, agreed affirming;  " In issuing today's order, Judge Wanger recognized the harm being caused by the water cutoffs.   His vivid description of these harms should put to rest the notion that the man-made, regulatory drought is anything but real and damaging."

      Even though Judge Wanger's restraining order is only for 14 days, it is open to further extension, and Santoyo says it is also reason to hope that other legal decisions yet to be made by the judge on the issue may keep the water flowing.

      "Now what the judge has said,  that's not right.   You have to consider people in the implementation of these biops [biological opinions], It's sending a very, very strong message."

        However, Santoyo also cautions, to keep that hope alive, valley residents must continue to make their voices heard.

      "This is not a time for us to  say we won, we don't need to do anything.  It's saying we are becoming effective we just got to gear it up and continue it."

      Decisions on additional issues surrounding the biological opinions and the delta water pumps are expected within the next several weeks.