Editorial: California should buy some water rights
If Californians want to ensure that there is water available for endangered salmon and other wildlife, then Californians ought to pay for that water. That’s exactly what some lawmakers want to do. The yearslong drought is upending how Californians live and think about the environment around them. … The state can’t easily step in and demand that a farmer give up his or her water to protect river flows for fish. A farmer or rancher with senior rights can, however, voluntarily sell them. Some Democrats in the state Senate therefore have proposed spending $1.5 billion to buy water rights from any willing sellers.
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