Water

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke’s visit to Don Pedro and New Melones Reservoirs at the request of U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) continues to yield results for the Valley, with Secretary Zinke issuing an internal memo Friday declaring the state’s proposed water grab an “unacceptable restriction” that reduces the Department of the Interior’s ability to deliver water and directing his agencies to propose a plan within 25 days to maximize water supply, construct new water storage,... Read more

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U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA) and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Aug. 14 met with local growers and stakeholders during a Modesto, Calif., town hall meeting to learn about critical issues facing Central Valley farmers. Responding to an invite by Rep. Denham, the secretary’s attendance at the event and subsequent local tour complimented the congressman’s ongoing efforts to stop contentious amendments proposed to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Jo... Read more

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) yesterday discussed the impacts of Sacramento’s water grab and tariffs on Central Valley agriculture with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. Rep. Denham and Sec. Perdue held a town hall for local growers and stakeholders with Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) in Modesto to hear from Central Valley farmers first hand. Rep. Denham and Sec. Perdue also visited Brichetto Ranch in Oakdale to see our ag industry at work on the Stanislaus River. “I wanted th... Read more

In a rare visit to the Central Valley, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue made stops in Modesto and Oakdale on Tuesday, Aug. 14. On Tuesday morning, the Cowboy Capital of the World welcomed Perdue as part of a visit with U.S. Representative Jeff Denham, touching on agriculture and water issues. Escorted by California Highway Patrol cars into the Brichetto Ranch property off of Crane Road in Oakdale, Secretary Perdue and Congressman Denham, along with their entourage, made it to the property... Read more

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue stopped in the Central Valley on Tuesday to speak with farmers, along with Republican Congressman Jeff Denham and Democratic Congressman Jim Costa. Perdue expressed support for farmers, who strongly oppose a plan to divert Central Valley water to boost the fish habitat. "There’s enough water if we would commit to storing that water and not letting it flow directly into the ocean unimpeded," Perdue said. Perdue added that the federal government has no immedia... Read more

As costly tariffs impact local growers and the state’s water wars wage on, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue heard the fears of San Joaquin Valley farmers firsthand on Tuesday during a town hall event with Rep. Jeff Denham. Farmers and other ag stakeholders packed into a Modesto barn to throw their questions at the Secretary, wondering what can be done federally to keep the state water board from allowing more river water to flow to the ocean and inquiring about President Donald Trump’s t... Read more

Following Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke’s visit to Don Pedro and New Melones Reservoirs at the request of U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), the Department of Interior issued an official comment on Friday to the State Water Resources Control Board’s proposed water grab. The Department of Interior’s comment notes that the proposed water grab “directly interfere[s] with the New Melones Project’s ability to store water” and “elevate[s] the Project’s fish and wildlife purposes over ... Read more

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) released the following statement in response to the California Water Commission’s announcement of nearly $2.7 billion in Proposition 1 water bond allocations for water storage projects including Sites, Los Vaqueros, and Temperance Flat reservoirs: “More water storage in California is vital and we must start building now before the next major drought,” said Rep. Denham. “This investment is overdue and emphasizes the need for my New WATER Act which will ... Read more

Amid a flood of concern regarding a state proposal to divert more water to the ocean, a Cabinet secretary visited two of the affected reservoirs and a Central Valley congressman offered a pair of amendments aimed at the diversions. U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke visited Don Pedro Lake on the Tuolumne River and New Melones Reservoir on the Stanislaus River Friday, in the company of Reps. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, and Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove. "Our goal here today is to show him not only the ... Read more