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Mr. Chairman, we believe that CVPIA water supplies are the primary reason for 

 the Central Valley waterfowl and wetland resurgence. I would like to clarify why we 

 think that is so. For a number of years, waterfowl migrating through the Central Valley 

 have been forced to survive, if they sujrvived at all, on unhealthy and unsafe water and 

 poor quality habitat. The Pacific Flyway bird population fluctuates from year to year due 

 to a variety of factors. Regardless of the waterfowl population, however, it has become 

 increasingly difficult for the Central Valley to accommodate the migration. The 1993-94 

 deliveries changed the situation on the ground, as demonstrated by the fact that in the 

 Grasslands alone, three times as many birds were able to utilize safe and healthy habitat 

 as a direct result of CVPIA water supplies. 



CVPIA provides about 3,000 additional acres of early fall habitat from August 1 

 to September 15. CVPIA is also providing firm water to an additional 4,500 acres of 

 habitat in the GRCD that prior to CVPIA relied on operational spills and/or wells. 

 Improved water level management on 20,000 acres also is provided by CVPIA. 

 Historically, pond levels were four to six inches deeper than recent years. Under CVPIA, 

 a more constant source of water is available to allow shallower water level management 

 and better habitat for more species of wildlife, especially shorebirds and green-winged 

 teal. An average of 20,000 more wintering shorebirds (a 25% increase) use post-CVPIA 

 wetlands in the Grasslands than pre-CVPIA wetlands. 



Spring and summer wetland irrigation increases plant biomass two to three times, 

 increases plant diversity, and increases seed production for wintering waterbirds. From 

 1 986 to 1 992 between zero and 8,000 acres were irrigated for an average of about 4, 000 

 acres per year. Even though the full potential of CVPIA is yet to be realized, in 1993 

 26,000 acres were irrigated. Less water was available in 1994, yet 14,200 acres were 

 irrigated. Based on these numbers of pre-and-post-CVPlA water for irrigation, four times 

 more habitat has been enhanced (from 4,000 to 16,000 acres). This number will continue 

 to increase over the next seven years to about 40,000 acres of enhanced wetland habitat. 



Improved water supplies and the resulting increase in habitat quality and quantity 

 appears to have reduced disease outbreaks. Avian cholera outbreaks in the winters of 

 1991 and 1992 followed two years of drought and poor habitat conditions in the 

 Grasslands. Since implementation of CVPIA in the spring of 1993, irrigations to 

 improve wetland habitat, and ideal flooding conditions, no significant avian cholera 

 outbreaks have been noted in 1993, 1994, or 1995 in the GRCD. 



Mr. Chairman, The habitat improvements in the Central Valley carmot be 

 attributed to changes occurring elsewhere in the Pacific Flyway. For example, breeding 

 conditions in Canada, although improved during the last two years, followed 1 1 years of 

 drought that severely decimated nesting conditions. Several years of good conditions are 

 needed to bring waterfowl populations back to population objectives set by the North 

 American Waterfowl Management Plan. If a farmer is able to increase the amount of 



