KCWA's 2020 Water Summit focuses on President's memo on water allocation and fish

Water Association of Kern County’s 2020 Water Summit. (KBAK/KBFX Photo)<p>{/p}

Bakersfield, Calif (KBAK/KBFX) — The Water Association of Kern County held its fourth Water Summit in Bakersfield at the mechanics Bank Arena on Wednesday. This theme this year was H20 2020 Vision.

After a year that brought out new biological opinions and President Trump’s memo on California’s water, the WAKC Water Summit focused heavily on science and the environment.

“The endangered species act was one topic that we discussed and that’s really important it has a very strong impact on water deliveries,” Beth Pandol, executive director of the WAKC, said.

The summit featured an hour-long panel discussion on how California is managing endangered species, like the Delta Smelt and salmon.

Julie Vance, a regional manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife spoke about how the timing of pumping at the delta can “really improve things for species without taking water for the people who ultimately need it.”

Vance said the old way of pumping based on the calendar left endangered fish confused and stranded when the waters were left unseasonably high up north at the delta.

Cannon Michael, of Bowles Farming Co., offered his perspective as a farmer to the panel, acknowledging the huge water deficit the Central Valley faces, “so things are going to change one way or another.”

While everyone on the panel offered a unique perspective to California’s water situations, they all seemed to agree balance is what everyone is striving toward.

“How do you get the most pop per drop for the environmental water that you’re using?” Ellen Hanak, VP of the Water Policy Center, asked.