By Don A. Wright
Westlands Water District’s Elizabeth Jonasson Deputy General Manager External Affairs, sent out a notice of a new report. Westlands and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce will host a media briefing to discuss the 2025 Economic Impact Report showing how the decline of surface water deliveries are harming the San Joaquin Valley’s families, jobs and communities.
Data from 2022 when there was a zero allocation of surface water and 2019 when there was a 75-percent allocation were compared and some pretty stark conclusions were drawn:
- Total economic activity associated with Westlands fell 25-percent, or $1.2 billion
- Employment declined 21-percent, resulting in approximately 7,500 fewer jobs. That’s enough to put one fifth of Fresno County’s unemployed back to work
- Crop production value dropped 28-percent and secondary agricultural production value fell 20-percent, meaning less revenue for the local economy
- Government tax revenues declined 13.7-percent, slashing $96 million dollars from funds that pay for roads, schools, public safety and local services
- When lack of surface water forces land out of production near Lemoore Naval Air Station, bird strikes tend to increase, putting pilots and public safety at risk
- Valley Fever cases are correlated with fallowed ground, driven by a lack of water for irrigation
The report was coauthored by Dr. Michael Shires, Consultant and former professor and Vice Dean at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy and Dr. Matthew Jendian, sociology professor and Founding Director of The Humanics Program in Philanthropic and Community-based Leadership. Also present to answer questions will be Nick Rocca Board Chair, Fresno Chamber of Commerce.
The media briefing will be held Wednesday, December 17th at 11:00 a.m. at the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, 2331 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721. Although this location is in downtown there are rumors parking will be easily accessible.
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