Sen. Andy Vidak of Hanford has sent a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board, urging them to approve a proposal that would lead to increased pumping into the San Joaquin Delta for farmers.

The Republican said he wants the board to sign a change order by the Bureau of Reclamation, which expired last month.

“We want them to consider pumping water from April to September,” he said. “I mean, here we are in April, and the rest of rainy season is done.”

He said the board is playing a game of political football.

“We had a Fish and Wildlife and a whole bunch of folks say it’s OK, and we had a staffer that said no,” he said.

Farmers connected to the federal Central Valley Project are getting no water, while State Water Project farmers are expecting only 20 percent of the water they’re paying for.

Vidak said the board hasn’t responded to his letter yet.

– Anthony Pollreisz