Farmers Win Over Fish in Shasta Water Release Agreement

After weeks of uncertainty and pressure from members of Congress, federal officials this week announced a plan for managing water releases from California’s largest reservoir this summer in a manner that will not involve cutbacks in farm water deliveries — at least if all goes as hoped.

For more than a month, federal agencies have battled behind the scenes over how to balance the needs of California farms and two endangered fish species whose populations have been decimated by years of drought and environmental decline.