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Adjudication is best basin-wide management tool 

Opinion of Larry McGourty

Who Are You Kidding Mr. Reaugh?

I read Mr. Reaugh’s latest “advertorial” for a water district with some some bemusement. How a small band of elitists and a grass root organization so out of touch that its own membership is in open rebellion can represent the majority of anything begs credulity. Mr. Reaugh’s dismissive attack on the Quiet Title suit, which he knows full well has nothing to do with selfish unlimited pumping, is just another example of the arrogance of his organization in their race to trample on the property rights of all the residents of the basin.

As to the question of water banking conspiracies, what is PRAAGS real position? On the one hand we have you Mr. Reaugh saying it will never happen. On the other hand we have Mr. Steve Sinton, a PRAAGS board member and adviser, speaking on behalf of PRAAGS/PWE in an open forum at the Cattleman’s Association suggesting that “surplus water” could be ‘exported’ to the Kern water bank for storage. Not only is the advisability any such action questionable, but do you not know or care that surplus water in the basin is what basin purveyors such as the City of Paso Robles depend upon to supply their citizens?

What are PRAAGS real intentions Mr. Reaugh?

Over two hundred years ago President James Madison cautioned a young American Republic “There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpation.” The individuals who have joined POWR are not belligerent Mr. Reaugh. We are principled and vigilant in the vigorous defense of private property rights for as the great American Journalist Walter Lippman observed, “Private property was the original source of freedom. It still is its main bulwark.”

We are in a serious drought Mr. Reaugh. We should be talking conservation not legislation.

POWR was formed to protect all the residents that depend upon the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, in a responsible manner that will ensure the health of the basin for future generations, while protecting the rights of all overlying landowners -no matter how large or small their parcel. Hopefully in time you will come to understand and appreciate that this includes you too Mr. Reaugh. We welcome you, PRAAGS and ProWaterEquity to join us.

Larry McGourty and his family dry farm walnuts and grapes on the west side of Paso Robles. A long time resident of the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin, he is a founding member of the Protect Our Water Rights group (POWR) which filed Quiet Title in November. Adjudication is the proper basin-wide management tool. Adjudication protects the basin and property owners.

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