Water Politics
OK get you Fitbit or other step counter on, we are going to walk one of the most expensive walks in America. Talk is out once again about Northern California's Delta Tunnels also known as the Periphery Canal. There has been some controversy lately because of an interpretation of the original plans of the State Water Project (I'll talk more about that in a later post) in light of the Jarvis-Gann Initiative more commonly known as Proposition 13.Proponents of the project say that the tunnels are just an add-on to the original project and was covered under pre-Prop 13 laws and therefore should not have to go before the voters. The project its self will originate near the Freeport intake ducts located on the Sacramento river just south of the state capitol. Tunnels will terminate at the Banks Intake Pumps just south of the Discovery Bay development (see vertical green line on the map below). Each tunnel is expected to pump 75,000 gallons of water per second from the Sacramento River. It is estimated that the cost to Santa Clara Valley Water District customers could be about 6% of the project or upwards of $1.8 Billion.
If we assume about 2,000 steps per mile; a final cost of $30 Billion, and a project length of 35 miles we can expect each "step" of the project to be worth about $428 Million ($30,000,000,000/35)/2,000 = $428,571.
Additional Reading:
Mercury News Editorial - March 28, 2016
Mercury News - July 22, 2014 - Property Taxes could pay for $25 Billion Tunnels without public vote.
Mercury News - March 28, 2016 - Gov. Brown's $17 bilion Delta tunnels plan faces new hurdle -- a leading taxpayers organization.
