NORTHSTATE, Calif. -- Northstate leaders are responding to President Donald Trump's executive order, which plans to reroute water from Northern California to the southern part of the state.
Trump has signed the order, directing agencies to divert more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other areas of the state. This is restarting work from his first term.
Trump said it will help people "who desperately need a reliable water supply."
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Representatives with Save California Salmon told KRCR this is dealing with a problem that does not exist.
"Right now, in Southern California, it's been very clear that there's not an issue with water supply, and the issue is more an issue with infrastructure and climate change, especially when it comes to the fires," Save California Salmon Executive Director Regina Chichizola said. "Californians are in this together. We have fires everywhere... Water is important for fighting fire, and it's very important for our drinking water supplies, but this memorandum will do nothing to help those things."
Chichizola said Trump's order will support large agriculture rather than Southern California communities.
She added that salmon populations, salmon-dependent areas, and water quality in the Northstate could suffer as a result.
Meanwhile, Congressman Doug LaMalfa said he believes saving the water hasn't helped the fish while praising the order.
Save California Salmon representatives urged Trump to prepare for wildfires through other methods like modernizing urban and agricultural water use and collaborating with Tribal Nations.