Editorial: Delta water deal defers key details, at considerable risk

Published Sunday, Jul. 22, 2012

Frazzled by decades of fighting over the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, state and federal officials understandably want to sing "Kumbaya" and declare they have forged a breakthrough on balancing the Delta's environmental needs with the state's water demands.

That's what you'll likely hear Wednesday when Gov. Jerry Brown and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar are expected to announce a deal to restore wetlands, recover imperiled fish and restructure the plumbing of this troubled estuary.

Take it with a grain of salt.

Although Brown and Salazar have a deal, it's a deal with crucial details deferred. What they have is a "trust us" framework that keeps the ball rolling but easily could be knocked out of balance by whoever succeeds them in the state Capitol or the White House.

To read the entire article go to: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/22/4646320/delta-water-deal-defers-key-details.html