CALIFORNIA WATER ISSUES

Across California prayers are being raised up to God seeking adequate rains and snows for the State and for all of the Western States experiencing significant drought.

Even with a normal rain year, the drought has created such a water deficit that it would take years to make up for that deficit.

On the November 4 election ballot in California we have Proposition 1--a measure crated with full bipartisan efforts in Sacramento and sanctioned by Governor Jerry Brown.  Prop. 1 places before the voters a bond measure in the amount of $7.5 billion dollars.  The measure will provide for:

*     projects that improve water quality or help provide clean, safe, and reliable drinking water

*     grants for multi-benefit ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration projects

*     integrated regional water management plan projects that respond to climate change and contribute to regional water security

*     new water storage projects to capture melting snow and other runoff

*     water recycling and advanced treatment technology projects

*     projects to prevent or clean up the contamination of groundwater that serves as a source of drinking water

*     statewide flood management projects and activities.

An obvious example of what can help for the future:  almost all of the rainfall in southern California flows out to the Pacific Ocean.  Very few measures in effect to capture this water and to divert it to underground storage and to replenish water tables.

Personally, I intend to vote YES on Proposition 1 since it is an important broad-based effort to assist our State deal with water needs for decades to come.

As always, we continue to life up our prayers:

Let us pray:

Our loving God, we are in need of rain and snow.  We realize now, looking up into the clear, blue sky what a marvel even the least drop of rain really is.  To think that so much water can really fall out of the sky, which now is empty and clear!  We place our trust in you.  We are sure that you know our needs.  But you want us to ask you anyway to show that you that we know we are dependent on you.

Look to our dry hills and fields, loving God, and bless them with the living blessing of soft rain and abundant snows.  Then the land will rejoice and rivers will sing your praises, and the hearts of all will be made glad.  Amen.