A group of state and federal officials has been studying the issue for years and has released a new "Bay Delta Conservation Plan." It calls for the construction of two underground tunnels to carry water from northern to southern California. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar is part of the group:
"The status quo is not acceptable. The status quo will only result in a continuing and endless cycle of conflict, litigation and paralysis."
The tunnels would cost 13 billion dollars and take about ten
years to build. Water users would foot the bill.
Environmental groups are critical of the plan.
They say it should focus more on water conservation. Over the
past few years, courts have ordered the state to pump less water
through the region to protect a tiny threatened fish known as the
Delta smelt.
