God's Water

Published in slightly edited form April 2, 2014 in Tulare County's Foothills Sun-Gazette.


     "We don't pray for rain," an Amish woman ventured in Amish Grace, the book I described four weeks ago.  "We wait for rain, and when it comes, we thank God for it."


     When I read that, I thought "You don't live in California," already praying for rain and encouraging others to do so as well.  My friend Annette Natoli, a former Lindsayite who now lives in upstate New York, has also been praying for rain for us, wishing the snow pelting her property would blow our direction.  But, as those of us know who spend time in the Bible or watching the meteorologists' satellite photos, the wind blows where it will.


     Few who attended the water rally in Tulare last week missed the irony that we waded through mud puddles, heads bent against wind and rain, to get inside the giant metal building at the International Ag Center to voice our demands for water.  Two government officials, one fed, one state, speaking to sign-waving folks in bleachers ringed by new two-story tractors complete with GPS systems, explained what they were doing to send our way as much of the state's water as possible.  But few were there to listen.  Most came with a prepared answer.  "What do we want?" the rally's organizers prompted.  "Water!" we shouted appropriately through the sound of rain on the metal roof.


     Actually, praying for rain has always been troublesome for me.  If our orange growers need rain in March, will it damage the peach blossoms of my farmer friends near Dinuba?  Or ruin their raisins in September?  Will it take needed rain away from my enemies, who I'm supposed to love, too?  It's taking a lot of responsibility, praying for rain.  I think the Amish may have it right.


    Perhaps what we should pray for is God's love to shower down on all of us during this time of trial and make us right with each other, learning to adapt to the shortages and share rather than grab what we need and fight off those without.  Or perhaps we should pray for good officials to make just decisions and protect us from our needy self-interest, to cast their vote for the common good.


     That's what we got last week from Judge Harry N. Papadakis, who ruled in favor of the Lower Tule Irrigation District to stop the pumping of groundwater by Sandridge Partners, LLP, who were exporting the water to their almond groves in Dudley Ridge Water District 25 miles away.  Sandridge is one of those "big boys" in the State Water Project (SWP,) where sagebrush and jackrabbits should have been left to live in peace.


     According to Lew Griswold's March 26th article in the Fresno Bee, four years ago Sandridge sold several thousand acre-feet of SWP water to the City of Mojave, leaving the Dudley Ridge district abruptly short.  The groundwater pumping stopped by Judge Papadakis last week prevented them from doing that to Lower Tule ID, protecting the growers and communities of Woodville and Tipton against the self-interest of one corporation.  We all owe him a note of thanks.


     The thought of governmental regulation of groundwater sends most growers into real panic, yet the threat to the groundwater supply by operators like Sandridge goes unnoticed.  Our laws governing groundwater are in serious need of re-working and the current drought makes that unusually clear.


     Our comprehensive system of water rights, however, is based on use, not ownership.  It is based in the recognition that water is community property to be shared equitably for the benefit of all, not a few.  Beneath that social/legal understanding is a religious/ecological one:  that it's God's water, delivered to us according to the Creator's will and atmospheric/ geomorphic realities.  We would do well to read the Owner's manual before starting another round of repairs.


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Trudy Wischemann is a student of California water born in western Washington where it rains.  You can send her your thoughts on praying, buying or suing for water c/o P.O. Box 1374, Lindsay CA 93247 or leave a message below.