SACRAMENTO –Assemblymember Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton) joined Senator Dave Cogdill (R–Modesto) and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for the second day in a row for the second press conference in two days at a second large water project site to discuss the need for the Governor’s proposed Water Bond.

Galgiani has co-authored SB 59 (The Reliable Water Supply Bond Act of 2008), a bill introduced by Cogdill that would put a bond measure on the ballot which incorporates the Governor’s proposal for water management for California’s future. The Governor has proposed 5.95 billion dollars in bonds for water management including: 4.5 billion dollars for water storage, 1 billion to protect and sustain the Delta, 250 million dollars for restoration projects and 200 million dollars for water conservation grants.

Monday’s press conference was held at Friant Dam in Fresno County to highlight water storage. The press conference today was held at the Joint Operation Center in Sacramento which manages the flow of water through the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta which supplies 25 million people with water.

“We all remember the devastating flood of 1997, and the tremendous damage caused when an early melting snow pack forced the sudden release of water from the Friant Dam.  Additional above ground water storage at Temperance Flat would provide us with the ability to capture heavy water flows and avoid future flooding in the Central Valley,” said Galgiani.

“Our bond money, leveraged with federal and local funds, will help to finally put in place a long-term sustainable resource management plan for the Delta,” the Governor said today, “and the 450 million dollars for conservation and restoration will help us achieve a comprehensive water solution.” 
Senator Cogdill stressed water storage pointing out that, “the bill that deals not only with above ground or surface water storage, but also below ground storage.

“More than 30 years have passed since improvements to the State’s water supply system have been made on a scale that allows us to keep pace with the state’s growing population. This is a well balanced plan to provide a safe and secure water supply over the next twenty years for the San Joaquin Valley and all of California,” said Galgiani, “ We must act now if we are to meet the needs of population growth, flood control, restoring the San Joaquin River, protecting the Delta and sustaining agriculture.”