Aerial view of farmland and waterways in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a great natural treasure with more than 500 species and a vital link in the state's water system, spanning five counties in Northern California. Photo taken October 1, 2015. Kelly M. Grow / DWR

GOVERNOR NEWSOM: New federal actions will help California better manage water supply

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.
  • 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 …

More coverage of biological opinions …

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NOW AVAILABLE: NOAA Fisheries Final Biological Opinion for the Long Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project

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NOW AVAILABLE: US FWS Biological Opinion for the Long Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project

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USBR: Reclamation reaches major milestone on proposed operation of the Central Valley Project

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