VOA慢速英语：加州为节约用水，要买断农民水权
VOA慢速英语：加州为节约用水，要买断农民水权
Some lawmakers in the U.S. state of California want to use taxpayer money to buy out farmers.
美国加利福尼亚州的一些立法者想用纳税人的钱买断农民的“水权”。
A proposal in the state Senate would spend up to $1.5 billion for their "senior water rights."That would permit farmers to take as much water as needed from the states rivers and streams to grow their crops.If state officials owned those rights, they could leave the water in the rivers to aid endangered salmon and other fish.
州参议院的一项提案是花费15亿美元来购买他们的“高级水权”。水权允许农民从该州的河流和溪流中取水，以种植作物。如果州政府买断水权，就可以将河水留在河里，以救助濒危的鲑鱼和其他鱼类。
California has faced severe lack of water for most of the last 20 years.Lawmakers want to more closely examine the states complex water system to see how it might be changed to ensure continual supplies during especially dry periods.A separate state proposal would pay farmers to grow fewer crops to save water.
在过去20年的大部分时间里，加州都面临着严重缺水的问题。议员们希望更仔细地检查该州复杂的供水系统，看看如何改变它，才能确保在特别干旱的时期不间断供水。另一项州提案是将向农民支付减少作物种植以节约用水的费用。
Currently, about 98 percent of the state has severe drought conditions.Summer months in California rarely produce any major rainfall.Many areas have begun restricting water use for homeowners.And farmers have had their water supply from the two major state-owned water systems reduced or, in some cases, completely shut off.
目前，该州约98%的地区严重干旱。加州夏季的几个月很少有大的降雨。许多地区已经开始限制房主用水。农民从两大国有供水系统获得的供水已经减少，在某些情况下，甚至完全被切断。
Legally, all the water in California is the property of the government.But farmers have "water rights" that let them take water for agriculture.Farmers have used those rights to turn Californias Central Valley into a major agricultural center.The area provides much of the nations fruits, nuts and vegetables.
从法律上讲，加州所有的水都是政府的财产。但农民拥有允许他们为农业取水的“水权”。农民们利用这些权利将加州的中央山谷变成了一个主要的农业中心。这个地区提供了这个国家的大部分水果、坚果和蔬菜。
California now has a record budget surplus of nearly $100 billion.The $1.5 billion proposal to buy senior water rights would involve either buying the land connected with the rights or buying just the right itself.Lawmakers could also require that the water be used for fish and other animals and plants.
加州目前有近1000亿美元的创纪录预算盈余。这项15亿美元的购买高级水权的提议将涉及要么购买与水权相关的土地，要么只购买水权本身。立法者还可以要求这些水用于鱼类和其他动植物。
The proposal is part of budget negotiations between lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsoms administration that should be completed by the end of this month.
这项提案是立法者和州长加文·纽瑟姆政府之间预算谈判的一部分，谈判应于本月底完成。
Regulators measure water by "acre foot."An acre foot is defined as enough water to cover 1 acre, or 0.4 hectares of land to a depth of 30 centimeters.That is the same amount as 1.2 million liters.
监管者用“英亩英尺”来衡量水资源。一英亩英尺的定义是足够覆盖1英亩或0.4公顷土地30厘米深的水。相当于120万升。
The $1.5 billion would be enough to buy about 200,000 acre feet of water.That amount is based on an average price of $7,500 per acre foot, says Tom Birmingham.He is the supervisor of Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water district in the U.S.
15亿美元将足以购买约20万英亩英尺的水。汤姆·伯明翰说，这个数字是基于每英亩英尺7500美元的平均价格计算的。他是美国最大的农业水区韦斯特兰兹水区的主管。
Right now, the only way to get more water flowing in rivers and streams is to get state and federal regulators to change the rules.They can do that by requiring more water be left in rivers and streams.But that means less water for farmers.Those rule changes often bring about lawsuits that can take 10 years or longer to reach a decision, said Lester Snow.He is a former secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency and regional director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
目前，让更多的水流入河流和溪流的唯一方法是让州和联邦监管机构改变规则。他们可以通过要求更多的水留在河流和小溪中来做到这一点。但这意味着农民得到的水更少。莱斯特·斯诺说，这些规则的变化往往会带来诉讼，可能需要10年或更长时间才能做出决定。他曾任加利福尼亚州自然资源署秘书，也是美国填海局地区主管。
"We need a way to take much quicker action.And I think acquiring water rights for that purpose is one of the ways to do that," he said."With climate change, we just dont have that kind of time."
“我们需要一种更快采取行动的方法。我认为，为此目的获得水权是实现这一目标的方法之一。”他说。“面对气候变化，我们没有那么多时间。”
For this to work, farmers would have to voluntarily sell their water rights.Tom Birmingham says that should not be a problem.Lots of farmers try to sell their water rights to Westlands Water District every year, he said.
要想实现这一点，农民必须自愿出售他们的水权。汤姆·伯明翰表示，这应该不是问题。他说，许多农民每年都试图将他们的水权出售给韦斯特兰兹水区。
Birmingham added, "For many farmers ... their children simply are not interested in continuing to farm."
伯明翰补充道：“对许多农民来说……他们的孩子根本没有兴趣继续种地。”
Im Ashley Thompson.
阿什利·汤普森报道。
Some lawmakers in the U.S. state of California want to use taxpayer money to buy out farmers.
美国加利福尼亚州的一些立法者想用纳税人的钱买断农民的“水权”。
A proposal in the state Senate would spend up to $1.5 billion for their "senior water rights."That would permit farmers to take as much water as needed from the states rivers and streams to grow their crops.If state officials owned those rights, they could leave the water in the rivers to aid endangered salmon and other fish.
州参议院的一项提案是花费15亿美元来购买他们的“高级水权”。水权允许农民从该州的河流和溪流中取水，以种植作物。如果州政府买断水权，就可以将河水留在河里，以救助濒危的鲑鱼和其他鱼类。
California has faced severe lack of water for most of the last 20 years.Lawmakers want to more closely examine the states complex water system to see how it might be changed to ensure continual supplies during especially dry periods.A separate state proposal would pay farmers to grow fewer crops to save water.
在过去20年的大部分时间里，加州都面临着严重缺水的问题。议员们希望更仔细地检查该州复杂的供水系统，看看如何改变它，才能确保在特别干旱的时期不间断供水。另一项州提案是将向农民支付减少作物种植以节约用水的费用。
Currently, about 98 percent of the state has severe drought conditions.Summer months in California rarely produce any major rainfall.Many areas have begun restricting water use for homeowners.And farmers have had their water supply from the two major state-owned water systems reduced or, in some cases, completely shut off.
目前，该州约98%的地区严重干旱。加州夏季的几个月很少有大的降雨。许多地区已经开始限制房主用水。农民从两大国有供水系统获得的供水已经减少，在某些情况下，甚至完全被切断。
Legally, all the water in California is the property of the government.But farmers have "water rights" that let them take water for agriculture.Farmers have used those rights to turn Californias Central Valley into a major agricultural center.The area provides much of the nations fruits, nuts and vegetables.
从法律上讲，加州所有的水都是政府的财产。但农民拥有允许他们为农业取水的“水权”。农民们利用这些权利将加州的中央山谷变成了一个主要的农业中心。这个地区提供了这个国家的大部分水果、坚果和蔬菜。
California now has a record budget surplus of nearly $100 billion.The $1.5 billion proposal to buy senior water rights would involve either buying the land connected with the rights or buying just the right itself.Lawmakers could also require that the water be used for fish and other animals and plants.
加州目前有近1000亿美元的创纪录预算盈余。这项15亿美元的购买高级水权的提议将涉及要么购买与水权相关的土地，要么只购买水权本身。立法者还可以要求这些水用于鱼类和其他动植物。
The proposal is part of budget negotiations between lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsoms administration that should be completed by the end of this month.
这项提案是立法者和州长加文·纽瑟姆政府之间预算谈判的一部分，谈判应于本月底完成。
Regulators measure water by "acre foot."An acre foot is defined as enough water to cover 1 acre, or 0.4 hectares of land to a depth of 30 centimeters.That is the same amount as 1.2 million liters.
监管者用“英亩英尺”来衡量水资源。一英亩英尺的定义是足够覆盖1英亩或0.4公顷土地30厘米深的水。相当于120万升。
The $1.5 billion would be enough to buy about 200,000 acre feet of water.That amount is based on an average price of $7,500 per acre foot, says Tom Birmingham.He is the supervisor of Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water district in the U.S.
15亿美元将足以购买约20万英亩英尺的水。汤姆·伯明翰说，这个数字是基于每英亩英尺7500美元的平均价格计算的。他是美国最大的农业水区韦斯特兰兹水区的主管。
Right now, the only way to get more water flowing in rivers and streams is to get state and federal regulators to change the rules.They can do that by requiring more water be left in rivers and streams.But that means less water for farmers.Those rule changes often bring about lawsuits that can take 10 years or longer to reach a decision, said Lester Snow.He is a former secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency and regional director of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
目前，让更多的水流入河流和溪流的唯一方法是让州和联邦监管机构改变规则。他们可以通过要求更多的水留在河流和小溪中来做到这一点。但这意味着农民得到的水更少。莱斯特·斯诺说，这些规则的变化往往会带来诉讼，可能需要10年或更长时间才能做出决定。他曾任加利福尼亚州自然资源署秘书，也是美国填海局地区主管。
"We need a way to take much quicker action.And I think acquiring water rights for that purpose is one of the ways to do that," he said."With climate change, we just dont have that kind of time."
“我们需要一种更快采取行动的方法。我认为，为此目的获得水权是实现这一目标的方法之一。”他说。“面对气候变化，我们没有那么多时间。”
For this to work, farmers would have to voluntarily sell their water rights.Tom Birmingham says that should not be a problem.Lots of farmers try to sell their water rights to Westlands Water District every year, he said.
要想实现这一点，农民必须自愿出售他们的水权。汤姆·伯明翰表示，这应该不是问题。他说，许多农民每年都试图将他们的水权出售给韦斯特兰兹水区。
Birmingham added, "For many farmers ... their children simply are not interested in continuing to farm."
伯明翰补充道：“对许多农民来说……他们的孩子根本没有兴趣继续种地。”
Im Ashley Thompson.
阿什利·汤普森报道。
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