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gallons of water a second from the stretch along the Sacramento River where van Loben Sels farms to cit- ies and farms to the south. In what all agree will be the decisive year for the project, Brown's plan — which is facing obstacles to environmental approval in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and mounting uncertainty over the financing — is splitting farmers and political lead- ers. In the delta, a land of tree-lined river banks, pear orchards and Gold Rush- era Victorian homes, signs saying, "Stop the Tunnels," hang on farm gates and shop walls. People fear the tunnels would let the state take too much water from the delta. "I do resent the fact they look at the delta as being sort of expendable to pro- tect their farms," van Loben Sels said, driving a narrow river road that would be replaced by widened high- ways and massive water in- takes. "It's just the destruc- tion of the delta." In the arid part of Cal- ifornia that encompasses Los Angeles and the coun- try's most productive ag- ricultural region, the San Joaquin Valley, farmers and water managers facing drought, climate change and growth see water be- coming scarcer. They hope the tunnels can bring them more. "We're barely trying to hold our own," said Michael Stearns, walking the bare dirt of 2,700 acres, almost half of the nearly 10-square mile farm he has fallowed owing to water cuts amid the driest four-year stretch in California's history. Much of the idle land where tomatoes and cotton normally grow is equipped with water-efficient drip ir- rigation. Stearns, the gen- eral manager of the farm, said he may next have to take out the farm's main money-makers — wine grapes and pistachios. "That's why the security of the water is just so criti- cal," he said. Questions over the envi- ronmental impact and fi- nancing are driving the de- bate on the tunnels — a con- struction feat that would rival or dwarf most tunnel projects of recent decades, including the tunnel be- neath the English Channel and Boston's Big Dig. "Nobody's told me they're ready to write me a check to build their share of the proj- ect," said Mark Cowin, di- rector of the state Depart- ment of Water Resources. "A lot of it comes down to trust on both sides of the table." A labyrinth of water- ways, fields and islands, the delta stretches inland 75 miles from San Francisco Bay at the confluence of big rivers that start high in Northern California moun- tains. It is the heart of the state's water system, feed- ing two-thirds of the state's residents, 3 million acres of farmland, and wildlife. In the 1960s, under then- Gov. Pat Brown — the cur- rent governor's father — California and the federal government re-engineered the delta to pump water from the southern end to farms and communities as distant as San Diego. Butthepumpsalteredthe delta's flow, pulling migrat- ing fish off course. Once- bountiful stocks of Delta smelt, Chinook salmon and other native species have plummeted. At least 35 na- tive fish, plants and animal species there are now listed under federal and state en- dangered-species acts. This year and last, au- thorities cut water deliver- ies from the delta to save enough for endangered fish. The cuts angered farmers and others, yet still failed to keep water plentiful and cool enough for the fish, causing record declines. Brown's plan adds wa- ter intakes and tunnels just north of the delta, away from the smelt hab- itat. And officials say the project would almost halve the time that the damaging pumps in the southern delta would run. The delta re-do would come at a steep price. And in interviews, just one of the five key water agencies potentially footing the cost expressed readiness to pay its share. For the urban Metropoli- tan Water District of South- ern California, a long-term, more reliable water source for its 19 million customers would make the investment worthwhile, if other wa- ter districts go along, gen- eral manager Jeffrey Kight- linger said. "I think it's time to es- sentially call the question — are we going to do this or not?" he said. Districts serving mainly farmers, however, ex- pressed skepticism the tun- nels make sense financially. "We want the project to work," said Johnny Amaral, deputy general manager of San Joaquin Valley's West- lands Water District, the nation's largest irrigation district and a major player behind the tunnels. "But in order for us to continue, it has to result in more water and reliability." Jason Peltier, head of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, said, "No- body is willing to declare it a dead project," given the broad desire for something that improves the current system. Questions over funding deepened this month when federal regulators levied a rare fine in a settlement with Westlands. The Securi- ties and Exchange Commis- sion said the water district had misled bond investors about the toll drought and water cuts were taking on its revenues. One major bond-ratings agency said it may lower Westlands' creditworthi- ness, which could make it more expensive to bor- row money for the tunnels. Amaral said it was too early to know how the settlement would affect tunnel financ- ing. Under current plans, the tunnels will bring only a "marginal" boost in water — another 65 billion gallons a year on average — to be sent south from the delta, said Cowin of the state wa- ter agency. That's enough for 200,000 households, out of California's 39 million resi- dents. The project draft also allows water districts to ask for easing of some environ- mental limits on pumping in dry years, which worries environmentalists. Tunnels opponents say the government and water agencies should put more money in water conserva- tion and recycling projects instead. The benefit of the tun- nels, backers say, is that they will be more reliable than the current system in weathering earthquakes and climate change. Brown denies the criti- cism that he is pursuing the tunnels as a legacy project in his final two years as gov- ernor. "It has nothing to do with that," he told report- ers in January. "It's abso- lutely necessary for Cali- fornia's future." Project FROMPAGE1 A special meeting will be held at 4 p.m. April 5 with hopes that three to five fi- nalist will be chosen by the Ad Hoc Committee and will be presented at the meet- ing. The committee consists of members Andrew Mer- edith, Cheryl Weibling, Shanna Long and Presi- dent Linda Durrer. The Tehama District Fair Board of Directors is seeking a highly qual- ified candidate that dem- onstrated visionary think- ing, strong leadership and business management skills, high ethical stan- dards and respect for tra- dition, according to the career opportunity an- nouncement on the Job Training website. The job is a part-time or 30 hours a week position with ben- efits. Desired requirements are five years of experi- ence in district or county fair operations or other event activities. Experi- ence in business and pub- lic administration, public relations and related fields is also desired. Long suggested that an important skill for this ap- plicant is to also have com- puter skills with efficacy in the Microsoft Suite pro- grams. For more qualification requirements visit job- trainingcenter.org and to submit an application with a personal resume and five references visit the Red Bluff Job Training Center at 724 Main Street or fax 530-529-7025. Following the submittal deadline will be a screen- ing evaluation meeting amongst the screening committee. A final de- cision is expected to be made on or before May 1, if reopening the search is not needed. CEO FROM PAGE 1 college. Students who par- ticipated at the booth got to check off that they'd at- tended the school on a pass- port similar to one used at the Tehama County Special Olympics. Colleges included everything from the local ju- nior colleges like Butte Col- lege and Shasta College to places like nearby Chico State University and far- ther away locations like Do- minican University, Califor- nia State University North- ridge and Berkeley. "We've really tried to tie in to the different college awareness programs such as Expect More Tehama and the No Excuses University," Johnson said. As students played bas- ketball, peers and family in the audience joined peer cheerleaders who teamed up with Red Bluff High School Spartan Cheerleaders to support those on the court. Athletes practice in ad- vance of the game and the student peers undergo train- ing to help them understand their jobs and how to work with students with disabili- ties, Johnson said. "I love this so much," said TehamaCountyDepartment of Education Special Educa- tion Local Plan Area Direc- tor Veronica Coates. "I re- member what it's like as a student athlete to have peo- ple cheering you on. It's so important for our kids to have opportunities like this. It's a beautiful moment for our parents, kids and staff to celebrate the talent of our students and their unique talents." She enjoys being able to watch their joy and the cour- age they have to get out on the court and play, Coates said. "It takes a lot of cour- age for any athlete to get out there one the court and it's so good for these kids to be able to get out there," Coates said. "It's also good experience for the middle school students who volun- teer. They get to show em- pathy and not just be taught about it, but model it. We re- ally have an amazing dream team in staff who really care and work hard in preparing this." Kris Eldredge came Fri- day with his son Dominic who was playing for the Lassen View team to cheer him on. "This is awesome," El- dredge said. "It's wonderful for the kids and helps them get involved in sports." Dominic, who is in fifth grade, had played some bas- ketball through an AWANA youth program and was very excited about participating for his first time, Eldredge said. "He's been up all night waiting for this," Eldredge said. "I especially want to thank the volunteers of the event. They did a great job." Emma Forsberg, an eighth grader at Berrendos, was one of the volunteers helping run the ball and making sure everyone got a turn with it. "I'm very fortunate to help with a team," Forsberg said. "It's been awesome. It's great to be a part of an op- portunity for kids who don't always get to play in sports teams to participate in one within a safe environment for them. Being with the kids has been a joy and it's so cool." Hoops FROM PAGE 1 AstudentrefereehandstheballtoastudentfromGerber Elementary School Friday at the High Hoops Basketball Tournament. A student from Evergreen Elementary School prepares to pass the ball on Friday at the High Hoops Basketball PHOTOS BY JULIE ZEEB — DAILY NEWS Students dance for the finale Friday at the High Hoops Basketball Tournament. PHOTOS BY RICH PEDRONCELLI — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A $15.7billion tunnel project promoted by Gov. Jerry Brown to build giant pipes underground to ship water south from this river which feeds the delta, is splitting farmers and politicians throughout the state. Farmer Russell van Loben Sels inspects grape vines on his land in the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta, near Clarksburg. "Nobody's told me they're ready to write me a check to build their share of the project." —MarkCowin,directorofthe state Department of Water Resources Groth: Mary Anne Groth, 58, died March 17, 2016in Red Bluff. Arrangements are under the direction of Hoyt- Cole Chapel of the Flowers. Published Saturday, March 19, 2016in the Daily News, Red Bluff, California. Death notices must be provided by mortuaries to the news department, are published at no charge, and feature only specific basic information about the deceased. Paid obituaries are placed through the Classified advertising department. Paid obituaries may be placed by mortuaries or by families of the deceased and include online publication linked to the newspaper's website. Paid obituaries may be of any length, may run multiple days and offer wide latitude of content, including photos. Death notices R ed Bluff Simple Cremations and Burial Service FD1931 527-1732 Now open longer hours 722 Oak Street, Red Bluff SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2016 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM | NEWS | 9 A ★