Press release from the Office of the Governor:
Today, California joined the Biden-Harris Administration as it signed off on a new framework key to moving and supplying water for tens of millions of Californians. Adoption of this framework is an important step for integrating future water projects vital to maintaining the state’s water supply, including the Sites Reservoir and the Delta Conveyance Project.
Combined, the new framework covering the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project provides a more balanced approach to water management that will allow water managers greater flexibility when responding to extreme swings between drought and flood brought on by a changing climate.
The framework also benefits California’s endangered fish species through habitat restoration, improved flow measures, monitoring and hatchery production. The federal government’s adoption of this framework follows the approval of a new operating permit for the State Water Project system in November.
“We know what the future has in store for our state: hotter hots and drier dries,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “That means we have to do everything we can now to prepare and ensure our water infrastructure can handle these extremes. Thanks to the support of the Biden-Harris Administration, California is taking action to make our water systems more resilient and lay the groundwork for new capacity in the future.”
This week, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation signed a Record of Decision for new documents known as “biological opinions,” which address the water projects’ ecological impacts – shaping how water can be pumped and moved through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
In November, the state received a new operating permit for the State Water Project (SWP). The permit, known as an Incidental Take Permit, was issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) following the certification of a Final Environmental Impact Report for long-term operations of the SWP.
Building up California’s water supply
Other actions the state has taken recently:
- Nearly 400 communities across California have received support to bolster their drinking water and wastewater systems, securing clean drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people.
- California is forging ahead with major water projects, including the Sites Reservoir and the Delta Conveyance Project, that promise to provide water supply for millions of Californians once completed.
- California recently marked the first decade of protecting and sustaining our critical groundwater supplies through the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which empowers local agencies to tackle overpumping that endangers water supplies for communities, agriculture and ecosystems.
- California has increased its groundwater reserves, investing in projects that recharge groundwater basins, including capturing excess stormwater.
- Governor Newsom unveiled an update to the California Water Plan, outlining comprehensive solutions to enhance the state’s ability to capture and store more water, especially during extreme weather events like floods.
- The state distributed $880 million to eliminate water utility debts for 4 million Californians, alleviating financial burdens on residents and businesses and ensuring continued access to water services during challenging economic times.
Also posted today …
- Biden, Newsom officials announce long-awaited new water delivery rules, from Cal Matters
- Reclamation greenlights action plan for the long-term operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. press release from the Bureau of Reclamation
More coverage of biological opinions …
PRESS RELEASE: Sites Reservoir advances toward construction with key permitting and contracting milestones
From the Sites Project Authority Today, the Sites Project Authority (Authority) announced two major advancements that move the Sites Reservoir Project (Project) closer to construction. Significant contractor outreach progress and two key environmental permitting milestones indicate that the Authority’s goal of breaking ground on Sites Reservoir by the end of 2026 is within reach. The Authority is reviewing a short list of qualified applicants for the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) contract to construct the reservoir and roads portion of […]
DWR: Changes to Delta operations start today: Balancing water needs for millions of Californians and the environment
From the Department of Water Resources: California’s water system is complex and requires real-time adjustments to balance the needs of our state’s cities and farms and the natural environment. Starting today, the State Water Project (SWP) is adjusting operations to meet those needs. The SWP’s pumping plant near Tracy diverts water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and lifts it into canals that flow to reservoirs and local water agencies. In March, the pumps moved approximately 125,000 acre-feet of […]
WHITE HOUSE: Trump issues broad Executive Order targeting CA water policy; Stakeholders, enviro groups respond
President Trump’s Executive Order By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Policy. For weeks, residents of the Los Angeles area have watched raging fires consume their homes, belongings, beloved pets, and childhood memories. Almost immediately, firefighters were unable to fight the blaze due to dry hydrants, empty reservoirs, and inadequate water infrastructure. Today, at least 28 people have lost their lives […]
CAL MATTERS: Trump orders more Central Valley water deliveries — claiming it would help LA fires
Citing the LA fires, Trump directed federal agencies to “immediately take actions to override” water operations and environmental rules. But the water mostly serves Central Valley farms. By Alastair Bland, Cal Matters President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Sunday that told federal agencies to “immediately take action” to deliver more Central Valley water and eliminate rules that stand in the way, including endangered species protections. In the new order, Trump cited the Los Angeles fires, even though the […]
CAL MATTERS: Trump takes step to overhaul Delta water deliveries to farms, cities
Trump apparently wants to override new Biden-Newsom rules that have widespread support among Southern California cities and some Central Valley farmers. By Alastair Bland, Cal Matters Stay up-to-date with free briefings on topics that matter to all Californians. Subscribe to CalMatters today for nonprofit news in your inbox. President Donald Trump lost no time Monday in advancing his agenda for California’s water supply with a “presidential action” intended to send more Delta water south to millions of Southern Californians and […]
DWR NEWS: State Water Project operations: New framework already benefiting California’s water supply
From the Department of Water Resources: What’s New: In December 2024, a new framework took effect to minimize harm to endangered species from the operation of California’s two biggest water projects. The framework, developed by federal fishery agencies and called a “biological opinion,” replaces a framework that had been in place since 2019. How It Helps the State Water Project: The new science and additional flexibility that underpin the revised framework allow water project operators to respond more nimbly to […]
GOVERNOR NEWSOM: California pumping more water now than under Trump Administration
From Office of the Governor: What you need to know: California has worked with the federal government to manage water delivery and increase the amount of water flowing to our farmers and southern regions – even when federal and state law require pumps to be slowed down. Despite recent misinformation, California is delivering more water to farmers and Southern regions of the state than under the Trump Administration. Thanks to strategic negotiations with the Biden administration, California has worked with the federal […]
THE CENTER SQUARE: Newsom, Biden unveil new water plan amid drought, fish protection debate
By Madeline Armstrong, The Center Square California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Biden-Harris Administration reached a long-awaited agreement on the updated rules for the State Water Project (SWP) and the Central Valley Project (CVP), which transfer water from Northern California to other parts of the state, supplying water to millions of Californians. “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 […]
CAL MATTERS: Biden, Newsom officials announce long-awaited new water delivery rules
New operating rules for massive Delta systems will increase water deliveries to Southern California cities and some growers. Salmon numbers could drop, especially in dry years. By Alastair Bland, Cal Matters Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WhatMatters to receive the latest news and commentary on the most important issues in the Golden State. State and federal water officials announced today their long-awaited new rules for operating two massive […]
USBR: Reclamation greenlights action plan for the long-term operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project
From the Bureau of Reclamation: The Bureau of Reclamation today 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 […]
