House Wading Into California's Long-Running Water War

(AP) — The House has waded into a long-running California water war.

Lawmakers have endorsed a Republican plan to shift more water to San Joaquin Valley farmers and cut the flow for threatened fish and growers in another part of the state.

California Democrat Jerry McNerney wanted to strike that proposal from a spending bill, but the vote went against him, 247-169. He says the plan would pump too much water to Central Valley growers at the expense of the inland Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

The vote is a victory for California Republican David Valadao and other GOP lawmakers who represent communities where the farm economy is badly suffering from drought.