KXO RADIO - All American Canal Project May be Delayed

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Todays is : Thursday, 08 January 2009

Written by George Gale
Tuesday, 11 July 2006
(THE CONCRETE LINING ALL AMERICAN CANAL PROJECT MAY BE DELAYED)….THE PROJECT ACTUALLY CREATES A NEW, CONCRETE LINED CANAL ADJACENT TO THE CURRENT CANAL. THE PURPOSE IS TO SAVE WATER FROM SEEPING INTO THE GROUNDWATER AQUAFER. THE PROJECT IS BEING FUNDED BY THE STATE AND THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY. SAN DIEGO WOULD GET THE BULK OF THE CONSERVED WATER. THE PROJECT HAS BEEN IN THE PLANNING STAGES FOR OVER A DECADE, BUT SOME SAY IT NEEDS MORE PLANNING. ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS IN THE UNITED STATES AND A COUPLE ENTITIES IN MEXICALI FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND OTHERS, INCLUDING THE IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT, TO STOP THE PROJECT. THEY CLAIM THE WATER IS USED BY FARMERS ACROSS THE BORDER FROM THE CANAL, AND THEY CLAIM THE WATER SUPPORTS WETLANDS IN MEXICO. A FEDERAL JUDGE RECENTLY REJECTED THE CLAIMS. THE IID SET AUGUST FOR A CONSTRUCTION DATE, BUT NOW THAT MAY BE POSTPONED. TUESDAY FOUR MEXICALI WATER COMMISSION MEMBERS ATTENDED THE IID BOARD MEETING TO INFORM THEM AN APPEAL WOULD BE FILED AGAINST THE FEDERAL JUDGES DECISION. BY THE END OF THE BOARD MEETING