LOS ANGELES, CA (August 22, 2018) – The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) today released the following statement in response to the litigation filed by the Mono County Board of Supervisors.
“LADWP has continued operating this year as we have in prior years, providing irrigation water to ranchers in Mono County based on operational needs, as provided for in each lease. LADWP is considering entering into new leases with the ranchers and other lessees in Mono County and will complete a full and thorough Environmental Impact Report before the new leases are approved. While continuing to provide irrigation water to ranchers, LADWP – through regular field visits and an established working group – continues to work closely with and implement recommendations from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Mono County, local Audubon representatives, and U.S. Geological Survey to provide water for the region’s Sage Grouse.
The amount of water the county is demanding we use for flood-irrigation on a small portion of City of LA owned-land in southern Mono County is enough to serve nearly 50,000 households every year and would cost Los Angeles ratepayers nearly $18 million to replace the amount of water requested and the lost hydropower it generates by purchasing additional supplies from the already stressed State Water Project. Climate change demands that we carefully manage limited water supplies throughout the State of California. We are committed to doing so and working with our lessees to use water more efficiently.”
Richard Harasick
LADWP Senior Assistant General Manager of Water System
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