Newsom’s big water deal is in trouble
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature water deal is starting to unravel just months before he leaves office. The governor’s plan sought to direct billions of state, federal and water district dollars toward restoring the sensitive Bay-Delta ecosystem while providing farms and cities with more flexible access to the water. Now, two of its most important partners, the federal government and Westlands Water District, the largest irrigation district in the Central Valley, are threatening to walk away. This development puts Newsom in a bind as he tries to cement a water legacy built around making California’s water supply more reliable — an agenda that has occasionally put him on the same side as the Trump administration.
