I am writing this letter after reading the article in The Madera Tribune dated May 6, “Excess water amid drought.”

I am a small almond farmer that relies solely on water from Madera Irrigation District, and this year we received water in May, not like previous years when it started in April.
I was amazed to read that the lakes were filling up so fast, and they might have to start letting it flow over the spillway. I do not understand why we could not have been given an earlier water start date and why the price of water has increased by $20 an acre foot when they may have to let the water be wasted.

The people in charge of water need to take a hard look at our water situation. With all the publicity in the news about our water shortage (water walk, etc.) there is absolutely no excuse for any of this water to be wasted and the farmers to be struggling to water their crops.

Don’t people get that without farmers and their crops we are in a world of hurt?

Edmond Gunter,
Madera

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