Join Us for a Day of Water Action Next Week!

California's water management system has long been in dire need of change. Thanks to the incredible efforts of Sierra Club California and our allies, there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon. We've successfully fought to remove the Delta Conveyance Project, also known as the Delta Tunnel, from the Governor's rushed infrastructure package. It's a small victory, but a significant step towards safeguarding the state’s precious water resources.

Picture this: after weeks of relentless advocacy from passionate volunteers and affected communities, the environmental movement achieved something remarkable. We convinced the legislature to listen, to truly understand the harmful implications of this project, and negotiate its exclusion from the package. This is the power of collective action, the force we wield when we come together for a common cause. 

But let's not celebrate too soon, for the fight is not yet over. The Delta Tunnel may be down, but it's not out. That's why we need you to stand alongside Sierra Club California and our allies at a momentous rally in Sacramento next week on Wednesday, July 5th. This is your invitation to join the ranks of dedicated individuals who are committed to shaping a better future for California's water management.
 

Time and time again, I've highlighted the broken state of California's water management system. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Bay-Delta and its watersheds. The flaws in our current approach to water allocation are glaring, and they're holding us back from achieving true sustainability.

First, California’s water rights system was born out of a racist legal framework that disregarded the rights and wellbeing of California's Indigenous Peoples. It also prohibited people of color from owning land and water rights. The legacy of those inequities continues to haunt disenfranchised communities to this very day. We cannot ignore the injustices that have marred our past, nor can we allow them to persist into our future.

Moreover, corporate greed for water has pushed us beyond the limits of sustainability. California has allowed for water diversions from the Central Valley rivers and the Delta to occur at an alarming rate, annihilating native fish populations and jeopardizing the delicate ecosystems that depend on them. Tribal subsistence fishing has suffered immensely, with California closing its Chinook Salmon fishery this year (for only the third time in state history) because the state has mismanaged the rivers where these remarkable fish spawn and grow. Meanwhile, polluted waterways and toxic algae outbreaks pose grave threats to public health and drinking water supplies for communities in the Delta.

It is within this flawed system that the tunnel emerges as a symbol of corporate greed and environmental neglect. It's a conduit for water-grabbing interests, placing tribal and environmental justice communities in harm's way and inflicting irreversible damage on our ecosystems.

The question of how these injustices and boondoggles permeate California's water policy is a burning issue. It's a conversation we aim to ignite during the upcoming gathering in Sacramento on July 5th. Sierra Club California, tribal representatives, environmental justice groups, conservation advocates, and the fishing community, will unite to shed light on these critical water issues.

This Day of Action promises to be an inspiring event, featuring representatives from various communities across California. Together, we will lend our support to crucial legislation that charts a course towards a sustainable water future. Our coalition will demand that Governor Newsom initiates reforms to California's water rights system and establishes instream flows to preserve salmon and the communities that rely on them.

So, don't miss out on this historic opportunity to make a difference. Join us for a day filled with lobbying, collaboration, and above all, justice. Together, we can redefine California's water management and ensure a thriving future for all. Save the date—July 5th—and let your voice be heard. 

We're counting on you!

Sincerely,