I was surprised to read in the op-ed by Lance Johnson (“Learn from history; fight to hold onto your water,” Oct. 2, Page 1D) that he learned from me and other conservationists that our secret agenda was to bring an end to Central Valley agriculture.

That’s simply untrue.

I’ve never heard anyone in the environmental or fishing communities express that desire. Like everyone, I enjoy the products of Central Valley agriculture – the tomatoes, pistachios, lettuce and many other crops, increasingly grown with highly efficient drip irrigation. California’s Central Valley will continue to thrive and be our nation’s breadbasket, as it should.