Prioritize human needs when it comes to limited water resources

Re “Basic economics explains why California is very expensive” (Nov. 28): In Gregg Ferry’s letter, he felt the need to lecture Californians on supply and demand economics due to their whining about the high cost of living. According to Ferry, California is “sucking the Colorado River dry” (demand), and the overall dwindling of the amount of water (supply) is the cause of the rising costs.

I’m no water supply expert, but doesn’t the government allow an enormous amount of water daily from the Sacramento River to flow through the delta to preserve small fish and the environment? Maybe diverting enough water south to help farmers, ranchers, firefighters and others could lower the overall cost of living, and possibly California would not have to take so much from the Colorado River.

— Mike James King, San Diego