Press release from the State Water Contractors
Today, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) for the long-term operation of the State Water Project (SWP), taking into account the ever-evolving climate, biological and ecological science pertinent to SWP operations. The SWP provides 27 million Californians with the water needed to run their homes, schools and businesses, and provides supplies to 750,000 acres of farmland with the water needed to help keep the nation fed. The ITP is a permit required under state law to protect endangered and threatened fish species like Longfin Smelt, Delta Smelt, Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook Salmon and Central Valley Spring-run Chinook Salmon.
“The State Water Contractors (SWC) and its member agencies are grateful for the hard work DWR and DFW have done to prepare this new permit. It appears to resolve issues raised in 2020, incorporating the best available science and bringing regulatory stability for water managers who have been operating through unprecedented challenges over the last several years,” said Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors.
“We are hopeful that the State’s collaborative approach will set the tone for ongoing coordination with our federal partners and the state’s Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan update. The revised ITP appropriately relies on adaptive management to help us further improve the management of the Delta ecosystem and water supply, making good use of the SWC’s ~$350 million investment in habitat restoration and significant research and monitoring activities over the next 10 years. We will work closely with our state partners to ensure the reliability and viability of the State Water Project for the millions of Californians who rely on it.”
The State Water Contractors is a statewide, non-profit association of 27 public agencies from Northern, Central and Southern California that purchase water under contract from the California State Water Project. Collectively the State Water Contractors deliver water to more than 27 million residents throughout the state and more than 750,000 acres of agricultural land. For more information on the State Water Contractors, please visit www.swc.org.
