Lucas Delgado
In 1983, federal biologist Felix Smith revealed that poisonous water draining off farmland was flowing into California's Kesterson wildlife refuge, causing deformities in the duck and shorebird populations. The water was contaminated with selenium, a rare trace element, leached from the farm soils in the western San Joaquin Valley. This incident brought attention to the issue of agricultural pollution in the region, with the state now estimating that the majority of the water in the Central Valley will be unusable within 50 years due to contamination from toxins such as selenium, mercury, and other toxins. The situation has been described as an example of regulatory capture by corporate water interests, with water boards prioritizing the interests of wealthy almond growers and water brokers over the protection of people and the environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Central California wildlife refuge named Kesterson |
| Cause | Selenium, leached from farm soils and dissolved in drainage water |
| Affected Wildlife | Duck and shorebird populations |
| Other Consequences | Drinking water supply of Bay Area residents and millions of Californians contaminated |
| Solutions | Deep well injection, methods to purify drainage water, improving irrigation methods |
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What You'll Learn
Selenium poisoning in California's water supply
When the Westlands Water District was established in the 1950s, planners were aware that a portion of the drainage water from irrigation would need to be exported from the western San Joaquin Valley. This was due to a subterranean clay layer that prevented the normal downward percolation of irrigation water. Despite this knowledge, Westlands growers successfully lobbied the Bureau of Reclamation to deliver water to additional lands, including areas now known as selenium "hot spots."
The drainage water, high in selenium and other toxins, was then discharged into the San Joaquin River and ultimately entered the drinking water supply of Bay Area residents and millions of Californians. This contamination had severe ecological consequences, most notably at the Kesterson Wildlife Refuge, where bird deformities and massive birth defects in waterfowl were observed. Federal biologist Felix Smith blew the whistle on this issue in 1983, bringing it into the public eye and sparking efforts to address the drainage crisis.
The state of California has since recognized the urgency of the problem, with estimates suggesting that the majority of water in the Central Valley will become unusable within 50 years without intervention. Various solutions have been proposed, including deep well injection, methods to purify drainage water, and improving irrigation methods. However, the cost of implementing these solutions is high, and the issue of selenium poisoning in California's water supply remains a complex challenge that requires further attention and action.
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The Kesterson Wildlife disaster
In 1982, scientists discovered extremely high levels of selenium in mosquito fish living in the drain, but this information was kept secret until the following spring when bird deformities were detected. In September 1983, federal biologist Felix Smith leaked the story to the press, revealing that then-Interior Secretary James Watt had known about the issue for months. Smith stated that he felt compelled to disclose the refuge food chain poisoning, which within 18 months became the biggest environmental story in California.
The disaster brought attention to the dangers of economically driven federal irrigation projects on marginal soils, which can result in the export of toxic effluent. Environmentalists dubbed Kesterson "the Three Mile Island of Irrigated Agriculture" and used the term "mini-Kestersons" to describe other poisoned wetlands being discovered across the nation. The California state government is now investing significant resources to address the issue, including spending $50 million through 1990 to find a solution to the drainage crisis in the western San Joaquin Valley.
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The dangers of irrigation projects on marginal soils
Irrigation projects on marginal soils can pose significant dangers to the environment and local wildlife, as evidenced by the Kesterson refuge incident in California.
Kesterson was built as a temporary ponding area for drainage waters from the Westlands Water District, which is located in western Fresno and Kings counties. The Westlands growers wanted to bring water to certain soils that were considered unsuitable for farming, now known as selenium 'hot spots'. Selenium is a rare trace element that is naturally occurring in the soils of the western San Joaquin Valley, and when it leaches into the drainage water, it can cause deformities in bird populations, as was the case in Kesterson.
The issue of agricultural pollution in the area has become so severe that it is estimated that the majority of the water in the Central Valley will be unusable within 50 years. The state is considering a costly brine pipeline to address the issue, but in the meantime, drainage water contaminated with selenium, mercury, and other toxins continues to be discharged into the San Joaquin River, affecting the drinking water supply of millions of Californians.
This case highlights the dangers of irrigation projects on marginal soils, where toxic effluent can be exported downhill or downstream, causing environmental disasters like Kesterson. The project was pushed by politically powerful landowners who stood to gain significantly from the increased value of their land. As a result, critics argue that projects like these prioritize economic interests over the environment and public health.
To prevent similar incidents from occurring, there needs to be a greater focus on responsible land management and water usage, as well as stricter regulations to protect water sources from agricultural pollution.
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The Westlands Water District's use of selenium-poisoned water
The Westlands Water District is a 942-square-mile area in western Fresno and Kings counties, California. It was built in 1969-70 as a temporary ponding area for drainage waters.
When surface water deliveries were first contemplated for Westlands in the 1950s, Bureau of Reclamation planners knew that a certain amount of drainage water would have to be exported from the western San Joaquin Valley. This is because a subterranean clay layer prevents irrigation water from percolating downwards. These planners excluded 100,000 acres of upslope land considered unsuitable for farming from the proposed project. However, Westlands growers later persuaded the bureau to deliver water to these lands, now known to be selenium 'hot spots'. Selenium is naturally occurring in western San Joaquin Valley soils, having been washed down from the Coast Range mountains over time and is probably volcanic in origin.
The crops grown in the Westlands Water District, such as almonds, are irrigated with selenium-poisoned water. The drainage from these farms, high in selenium, mercury and other toxins, is discharged into the San Joaquin River and the drinking water supply of Bay Area residents and millions of Californians. This has been permitted by the state for the past 23 years to avoid a crisis such as the Kesterson Wildlife disaster, where poisonous drainage water caused deformities in the duck and shorebird populations.
Despite objections, the state continues to issue permits for toxins to be released into the drinking water supply. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has suggested retiring these lands to stop continued contamination.
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The state's role in permitting contaminated wastewater discharge
In the context of contaminated wastewater discharge, the state plays a crucial role in permitting and regulating such practices through various laws and regulations, such as the Clean Water Act (CWA). The CWA, established in 1972, is a federal law administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in coordination with state governments. It regulates pollution in U.S. waterways and gives the EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs. The EPA sets national goals for how frequently facilities should be evaluated, and inspections are conducted by either state or federal agencies.
The CWA makes it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters without a permit. The EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls these discharges, and industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly into surface waters. The NPDES permits specify the effluent limitations and standards that the dischargers must comply with. Direct dischargers, such as OCS operators, must adhere to the effluent limitations guidelines and new source performance standards, while indirect dischargers must follow the pretreatment standards.
The EPA also regulates wastewater discharges from offshore oil and gas activities and issues permits for these discharges. For example, EPA Region 9 issued a final NPDES permit for offshore oil and gas facilities off the coast of southern California in 2004, which was modified in 2009 to include water quality-based limits for produced water effluent. The EPA works with other agencies, such as the US Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, to conduct inspections and ensure compliance with the permits.
In addition to the EPA's role, states have their own enforcement agencies that are authorized to evaluate and inspect facilities for compliance with the CWA. These agencies conduct on-site inspections following known or suspected overflow events, such as Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) and Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO). The state should be notified of all federal inspections unless disclosing the information would compromise an unannounced inspection.
The case of Kesterson, a federal wildlife refuge in California, highlights the role of the state in permitting contaminated wastewater discharge. In the 1950s, Bureau of Reclamation planners knew that drainage water from the Westlands Water District would have to be exported due to the presence of a subterranean clay layer. Despite this knowledge, Westlands growers successfully lobbied the bureau to deliver water to upslope lands now known as selenium "hot spots." Selenium-contaminated water drained off farmland and flowed into Kesterson, resulting in deformities in bird populations. The state's role in permitting the discharge of contaminated wastewater and the subsequent environmental impact led to increased scrutiny of irrigation projects and their potential risks.
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Frequently asked questions
Drainage water from the Westlands Water District was found to be contaminated with selenium, mercury, and other toxins. This water was discharged into the San Joaquin River, affecting the drinking water supply of Bay Area residents and millions of Californians.
The poisoning of water in westlands was primarily caused by agricultural pollution from nearby farms. The drainage water from these farms, high in toxins, was released into the river, contaminating the water supply.
The poisoned water had severe ecological and health impacts. It led to deformities in duck and shorebird populations within the Kesterson Wildlife Refuge, located in California's Central Valley. The state estimates that without intervention, the water in the Central Valley will become unusable within 50 years.
Efforts are being made to address the water poisoning crisis in westlands. The Department of Interior has allocated $50 million through 1990 to find a solution. Temporary measures such as deep well injection, water purification, and improved irrigation methods are being considered. Environmentalists and critics are pushing for more sustainable solutions and greater regulatory oversight to protect water sources from corporate interests.
