Playing The Process – Bureaucracy At Its Worst
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
There is a myth perpetuated by government agencies that they use the process required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to reach better conclusions with more public input. Based on how the system has evolved to its current status and demonstrated by any number of government bureaucracies, we need to carefully consider replacing this failed system with a meaningful and responsive approach.
Last night (Sept. 23rd) at a Fallon, NV “Town Hall” meeting for the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID) the Bureau of Reclamation outlined the process they are going through to determine the appropriate approach to take in dealing with the Truckee Canal. As has been covered in this past post , the Truckee Canal is a 31 mile ditch that diverts specific amounts of water from the Truckee River into the Newlands Irrigation Project, the nation’s oldest reclamation project.
In January of 2008 (yes, well over two years ago) a portion of the Truckee Canal failed and water spilled from the canal, flooding portions of the community of Fernley. After getting the water shut off and the breach point in the canal patched, only a portion of the allocation of water diversions have been permitted, as a safety measure to prevent a breach of the canal from again causing a flood problem. Making substantial repairs to the canal in order to enhance the safety and return the canal to full operations in conveying water to the irrigation system is and has been in an extended study process with more of the apparent deliberate delay planned to continue.
Using financial resources provided by a specific earmark from Nevada’s Senior U.S. Senator (and long-time advocate for un-connecting the Truckee River from the Newlands Project) the Bureau of Reclamation is getting around to getting ready the study that will take them at least a year (once started) to figure out what the possible decision process might evolve to become (further extending any actual actions for fixing anything for possibly as much as four or five years from now). It is always interesting to see this particular agency play the bureaucratic games of using their system to either do what they fully intend to do anyway – or not do what they fully don’t intend to do regardless.
As we witnessed the Bureau’s sham of their use of NEPA process in the Walker River Project it is becoming more and more clear that dealing with the Truckee Canal is just another chapter in the agency’s approach to pretending to be responsible for effective management of water resources while working to accomplish the marching orders of a political master who is intent on undermining the ability of irrigation projects to supply water for production agriculture.
The challenge for those impacted (possibly severely in the event that drought conditions stress the ability of the system to meet water right requirements) by the stonewalling manipulation of this agency to find effective methods of participation in what will play out as a public process. When you are being played – and everybody knows (including yourself) you are being played – it is difficult to work in a productive fashion within the parameters of the system, as required.
Strategies need to be considered, evaluated and implemented which draw sharp public attention to the disservice rendered by bureaucratic bunglers who are not held accountable for their deliberate ineptness to deliver honest results in a legitimate process.
There is a myth perpetuated by government agencies that they use the process required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to reach better conclusions with more public input. Based on how the system has evolved to its current status and demonstrated by any number of government bureaucracies, we need to carefully consider replacing this failed system with a meaningful and responsive approach.
Last night (Sept. 23rd) at a Fallon, NV “Town Hall” meeting for the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID) the Bureau of Reclamation outlined the process they are going through to determine the appropriate approach to take in dealing with the Truckee Canal. As has been covered in this past post , the Truckee Canal is a 31 mile ditch that diverts specific amounts of water from the Truckee River into the Newlands Irrigation Project, the nation’s oldest reclamation project.
In January of 2008 (yes, well over two years ago) a portion of the Truckee Canal failed and water spilled from the canal, flooding portions of the community of Fernley. After getting the water shut off and the breach point in the canal patched, only a portion of the allocation of water diversions have been permitted, as a safety measure to prevent a breach of the canal from again causing a flood problem. Making substantial repairs to the canal in order to enhance the safety and return the canal to full operations in conveying water to the irrigation system is and has been in an extended study process with more of the apparent deliberate delay planned to continue.
Using financial resources provided by a specific earmark from Nevada’s Senior U.S. Senator (and long-time advocate for un-connecting the Truckee River from the Newlands Project) the Bureau of Reclamation is getting around to getting ready the study that will take them at least a year (once started) to figure out what the possible decision process might evolve to become (further extending any actual actions for fixing anything for possibly as much as four or five years from now). It is always interesting to see this particular agency play the bureaucratic games of using their system to either do what they fully intend to do anyway – or not do what they fully don’t intend to do regardless.
As we witnessed the Bureau’s sham of their use of NEPA process in the Walker River Project it is becoming more and more clear that dealing with the Truckee Canal is just another chapter in the agency’s approach to pretending to be responsible for effective management of water resources while working to accomplish the marching orders of a political master who is intent on undermining the ability of irrigation projects to supply water for production agriculture.
The challenge for those impacted (possibly severely in the event that drought conditions stress the ability of the system to meet water right requirements) by the stonewalling manipulation of this agency to find effective methods of participation in what will play out as a public process. When you are being played – and everybody knows (including yourself) you are being played – it is difficult to work in a productive fashion within the parameters of the system, as required.
Strategies need to be considered, evaluated and implemented which draw sharp public attention to the disservice rendered by bureaucratic bunglers who are not held accountable for their deliberate ineptness to deliver honest results in a legitimate process.
Posted by Doug Busselman at 9/24/2010 8:57 AM 
Categories: Water
Tags: Truckee Canal Newlands Irrigation Project Bureau of Reclamation
Categories: Water
Tags: Truckee Canal Newlands Irrigation Project Bureau of Reclamation
Comments