California has many problems these days, including a severe water shortage.  Unfortunately, big-government policies at the federal level have made this problem far worse than it needed to be.

The natural drought has been exacerbated by a man-made drought:  draconian application of the Endangered Species Act that restricts the availability of water for irrigation.  Imposed to protect various species of fish, the water restrictions have led to fallowed farmland, unsustainable reliance on groundwater, which can cause land subsidence and environmental damage, and rampant joblessness in California’s Central Valley.

A glimmer of hope emerged this week when the U.S. District Court released a ruling finding serious flaws in one of the federal biological opinions that restricted water deliveries. The ruling could lead to increased water supplies for struggling farmers and ranchers in the Central Valley.

This is an important victory, but we must not to lose sight of the bigger picture, which is that the root of the problem lies in federal interference with state resources.

While I’m glad that the court’s latest ruling could lead to more water for California’s struggling farmers, I cannot forget that it was this same court that two years ago forced the federal government to restrict pumping under the Endangered Species Act.

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On the list of insane public policy moves we have come to expect from the current administration, Cap and Tax, Obamacare and Union Card Check, a fourth has garnered relatively little attention, although the implications for all Americans may be among the most far-reaching.  The recurring theme is centralized control.

On Monday, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will host a rare Congressional “Field Hearing“.  A Congressional delegation will venture out of the beltway and actually devote time to a problem in our country.  Better yet, they will be listening to real citizens.  Sort of.

At issue is what residents are calling a government-made drought in the Central and San Joaquin Valleys of California.   Legal and environmental regulations in the Endangered Species Act has resulted in the diversion of 200 billion gallons of water from the agricultural heartland of California into the Ocean.  According to California farmer Rose Corona,

“Potentially over $20 billion of California’s $43 billion of agricultural revenue could be decimated in America’s greatest breadbasket as farmers lose their farms and residents are forced to import food from China. While the solutions are not simple, local government officials are not even able to attempt them.”

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