Two members of Congress, Reps. Jarred Huffman and Raul M. Grijalva, have called for a review of the Bureau of Reclamation’s susceptibility to water theft. This request comes in the wake of a Los Angeles Times report that exposed a brazen and long-standing heist from a federal canal in California’s Central Valley. The facts presented in the article have raised concerns about the prevalence of water theft and the Bureau’s ability to prevent such incidents in the future.
The report detailed the charges brought against Dennis Falaschi, the former general manager of the Panoche Water District, who allegedly participated in a scheme to steal over $25 million worth of water from the Delta-Mendota canal. Falaschi is accused of selling the stolen water to local farmers and water districts over a span of two decades. The indictment suggests that the illicit proceeds, which should have gone to the federal government, were instead used to benefit Falaschi, his water district, and a small group of co-conspirators.
In May, Falaschi, now 78, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to steal water from the government and one count of filing a false tax return. However, the plea agreement revealed that he admitted to stealing less than $3.5 million worth of water. The government’s investigation suggests that Falaschi was just one of several individuals involved in this misconduct. Furthermore, the plea agreement alleges that water theft continued even after Falaschi left his position in 2017.
Given that the Bureau of Reclamation’s infrastructure plays a crucial role in ensuring efficient and reliable water delivery across much of the West, Huffman and Grijalva have requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review. The review will focus on water data monitoring processes, risk management strategies, historical data on theft incidents, challenges faced by the department, and potential areas for improvement.
The Bureau of Reclamation, when approached for comment, stated that it had nothing to add at this time. Rep. Grijalva serves as the ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, while Rep. Huffman is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries.
1 Response
Hello, thank you for sharing this article. I found it quite interesting. I was wondering if the author has any thoughts or opinions on the recent debate surrounding campaign finance reform. It seems to be a topic that is gaining a lot of attention and I would love to hear their perspective on it.