Press release from the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley and the Southern California Water Coalition:
The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California Water Coalition submitted a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, advocating for the temporary suspension of the Fall X2 component of the Summer Fall Habitat Action for the 2024 water year. This request is based on scientific findings that demonstrate the ineffectiveness of the measure for its intended purpose of aiding the delta smelt and highlights its detrimental impacts on water supply.
The Fall X2 Action, as currently mandated, results in significant water supply reductions to the water projects that provide water for the San Joaquin Valley’s agricultural industry, rural communities, including disadvantaged communities, along with federal and private wildlife refuges and Southern California.
“Implementing this action is projected to cause a loss of between 300,000 to 400,000 acre-feet of water supplies over the next two months that could otherwise be beneficially used”, said Blueprint Chair Eddie Ocampo. “Science over the last decade has demonstrated that this action, which has a significant water supply cost, is not producing the intended benefits for species, but has reduced water supply for impacted communities reliant on the water provided through the Central Valley Project and State Water Project.”
Recent evaluations have shown that the Fall X2 Action, aimed at increasing Delta outflow in the fall, has not only failed to benefit the delta smelt but has also imposed unnecessary hardships on the agricultural industry, local communities, and southern California businesses and residents by significantly reducing water availability. The action, which cost the Projects an estimated 734,000 acre-feet of water in 2023, valued at $557 million on the open market, underscores the need for a reevaluation of its efficacy and impact.
“The ongoing implementation of the Fall X2 Action based on outdated scientific data simply does not make sense, particularly given its detrimental impacts to the economic and environmental well-being of the people of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California,” said Charley Wilson, executive director of the Southern California Water Coalition. “It is critical that water project operations are governed by an adaptive management approach that reflects current scientific understanding and minimizes unnecessary impacts to our communities.”
The groups urge the suspension of this action for 2024, aligning with adaptive management principles that allow for the adjustment or discontinuation of management actions that prove ineffective or harmful based on empirical evidence and scientific advancements.
By addressing these concerns, the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California Water Coalition hope to restore more balanced and scientifically grounded water management practices that support the California’s agricultural productivity, environmental health, and community sustainability.
For more on Fall X2:
