A California Democrat recently took aim at President Trump for his decision to release large amounts of water from the state’s Central Valley, calling it a reckless and damaging move. Rep. Ted Lieu (D) criticized the president’s actions during a session of the House Judiciary Committee, which was focused on California’s wildfires and the impact of overregulation in the state.
“In attempting to address the wrong issue, you not only fail to solve anything, but you end up causing even more damage,” Lieu said. The congressman, who represents Los Angeles’ South Bay and Westside areas, argued that President Trump seemed to believe that by simply “turning on a spigot” in Northern California, he could send a stream of water to Southern California. Lieu was referencing Trump’s order to release billions of gallons of water from two major lakes in Tulare County, situated in the heart of California’s agricultural region. The president’s stated goal was to help contain wildfires that had already been put out, which were located about 100 miles away.
Following an executive order from Trump, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers carried out the release of the water, overriding California’s state water policies. The move also included sharp criticism of how California had handled the recent wildfires. While Trump proclaimed that “empty pipes” were now “brimming with beautiful, clean water” and flowing toward Los Angeles, experts and lawmakers were quick to challenge his claims.
Critics explained that the released water would not even reach Southern California, as the water systems in question don’t supply that area. Moreover, many were concerned that draining these reservoirs prematurely could harm future water supplies, especially for farmers in the state who rely on this water for the summer months. Lieu pointed out that Southern California’s reservoirs were near record-high levels when the wildfires began, and he argued that Trump’s actions had wasted valuable resources.
In the end, Lieu slammed the decision as a publicity stunt that had done little to solve the real problems. “The water is now evaporating away, all for show,” he said, condemning what he called a “foolish and damaging” effort that ultimately harmed farmers and jeopardized future water availability.