Limits on Pumping Delta Water Upheld

A federal judge has upheld temporary restrictions on the pumping of water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger in Fresno said on Wednesday that federal officials had the right to limit pumping for 14 days to protect migrating fall-run chinook salmon. Water districts that supply Central Valley farmers argued that the restriction, which went into effect on June 8, was illegal given the high amount of rain and snow California received this year. The Westlands Water District and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority also said fall-run salmon were not protected under the Endangered Species Act and thus not eligible for the restriction. They were seeking a restraining order against the Department of Interior.