The Delta–Mendota Canal spans over 116 miles from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the San Joaquin Valley
Credit: USBR
December 22, 2024 - SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation on Friday approved a new plan for the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and Delta facilities of the State Water Project. The plan presents a path forward with more predictable actions for endangered fish species and a more reliable CVP response to multi-year droughts.
“The resilience of the Central Valley Project, with its importance to the agricultural industry and drinking water deliveries across California, is critical to the state’s water supply future,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Mike Brain. “The revised operating plan will improve regulatory certainty for water users and provide a more stable water supply for communities, farms, and fish.”
“The completion of new operating rules for the Central Valley Project is the cornerstone of our efforts to address record drought and changing climate conditions in California,” said Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “The plan helps build the state’s resilience to drought, both for water users and the environment. It also dovetails with the significant ecosystem investments and infrastructure projects that Reclamation has funded, including new water storage, capacity improvements, groundwater banking, and the development of a drought plan for the south-of-Delta. We are grateful for our partners at the federal, state, and local levels without whom none of our shared accomplishments would have been possible.”
“The signing of the record of decision represents a significant milestone in the continued operation of our state’s critical water system,” said California-Great Basin Regional Director Karl Stock. “We have worked diligently with our partners to build a plan for operations today that enables us to factor in evolving science for improving the future of our communities, farms, and fisheries.”
The revised operating plan includes a new framework for Shasta Reservoir operations to benefit winter-run Chinook salmon; revised operational criteria for Delta exports; and supports early implementation of components of the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program to provide more Delta outflow and habitat restoration in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta.
The plan was completed in coordination with partners from the California Department of Water Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Efforts to complete the updated operating plan spanned three years and included regular engagement and feedback from interested parties.
“The new operating plans super charge our adaptive management and enable project operators to work with water users and the broader public to better manage the system to benefit endangered fish species and millions of Californians,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Extreme storms and extended droughts mean we need to be as nimble as possible in operating our water infrastructure. DWR remains committed to working with our federal and state partners and using the best available science to support the water supply needs of California’s communities while protecting fish and wildlife.”
“The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service begins with the all-important phrase ‘Working with others,’ a core value we hold dear,” said Paul Souza, Regional Director for the Pacific Southwest. “We care about healthy communities, thriving farms and ranches, and conservation of species, refuges, and other protected lands and waters. These goals are deeply interconnected, and require a holistic, collaborative approach as we face this generation’s cycle of record heat and drought. Today’s announcement marks another important step forward to real-time adaptive management, with critical investments in restoration for the natural world. The Fish and Wildlife Service is proud to be a partner for conservation in California.”
“We are proud to have helped chart a course that provides greater predictability for the communities, economies, and species that depend on California water,” said Jennifer Quan, Regional Administrator at NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region. “The strong science and collaboration behind this plan will improve the resilience of the system to better serve all of us, with tailored support for species including endangered winter-run Chinook salmon.”
“Today’s signing is the result of years of unprecedented collaboration and partnership between state and federal agencies committed to better outcomes for the fish, wildlife, plants, and people that call California home,” said CDFW Director Chuck Bonham. “With this new plan, we’re taking action to protect endangered fish and wildlife species, utilize science-based outcomes to plan for the future and the threats of climate change, and improve habitat conditions throughout the Delta.”
The record of decision is available here.
Source: USBR
