Press release from the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley
The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley today announced it has sent formal letters to both the San Joaquin Valley Congressional Delegation and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, urging significant federal investment in California’s water infrastructure. These letters underscore the urgent need to advance immediate and longer-term solutions to the Valley’s growing water supply crisis and advocate for strategic investments that will protect agriculture, rural communities, and the environment.
The Blueprint’s outreach follows the recent passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which includes $1 billion in federal funding for specific types of water infrastructure investments —a critical first step toward addressing an estimated $12 billion funding need for projects of these types necessary to modernize California’s water system.
Key Points from the Letters:
- Acknowledgment of Federal Support: The Blueprint thanked Valley lawmakers for securing $1 billion in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, recognizing it as a vital down payment on broader water infrastructure needs in California.
- Call for Additional Investment: The letters emphasize the need for further federal funding to support conveyance repairs on the Friant-Kern Canal, Delta-Mendota Canal, San Luis Canal, and California Aqueduct, as well as expanded water storage projects.
- Economic and Environmental Urgency: Citing the UC Davis study Inaction’s Economic Cost for California’s Water Supply Challenges, the Blueprint highlighted the potential loss of up to 9 million acre-feet of water annually by 2050, with projected economic damages of up to $14.5 billion and the fallowing of 3 million acres of farmland.
- Appeal to Secretary Burgum: The Blueprint urged the Department of the Interior to prioritize California’s water infrastructure in federal planning and funding decisions, and to support collaborative, science-based solutions that benefit both people and ecosystems.
A Voice for the Valley
“The Blueprint represents a united voice for the San Joaquin Valley—farmers, water agencies, communities, and conservationists—working together to secure a sustainable water future,” said Eddie Ocampo Chair of the Water Blueprint. “We are grateful for the progress made, but we must keep pushing forward. The future of our region depends on it.”
