Commentary by Brad Koehn, General Manager, Turlock Irrigation District; Jimi Netniss, General Manager, Modesto Irrigation District; and Dennis Herrera, General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
California is at a crossroads in water management. The choices we make today will shape the future of our rivers, our communities, and our ability to thrive through drought, flood, and a changing climate. Fortunately, one of those choices is clear and ready to be implemented now: the Tuolumne River’s Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Agreement.
The Tuolumne agreement delivers exactly what Californians expect from water policy in 2025 — real environmental benefits, grounded in site-specific best available science, funded by local partners, and ready to begin today.
As General Managers of the Turlock Irrigation District, Modesto Irrigation District, and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, we’re proud to stand behind this plan — not just because it benefits the environment, but because it reflects years of science, stewardship, and collaboration in one of the state’s most important watersheds.
Collectively, our agencies have spent nearly a decade working alongside state and federal agencies, fisheries experts, academia, and conservation partners to develop a comprehensive Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program tailored specifically to the Tuolumne River. Backed by more than 100 scientific studies, the plan is built on decades of real data and the best available science — from salmon migration patterns to water temperatures to long-term habitat needs.
This isn’t an academic exercise; this is science in action and it’s already underway.
The heart of the Tuolumne River agreement can be summed up in six words: More Water. More Habitat. More Fish. Each one represents a measurable, meaningful improvement to the river. The Tuolumne agreement adds water to the river in every water year type — no exceptions. In fact, it’s one of the only proposals in the state that commits to increased releases even in critically dry years: 63% more water in the river in dry years and 52% more water in the river in critically dry years. While the Agreement emphasizes flows from January through June, the Tuolumne River Partners have gone further—by including flow enhancements from July through December to support year-round ecological and fishery benefits. These aren’t paper promises. These are daily, year-round releases ready for immediate implementation.
The plan delivers at least 77 acres of new floodplain and rearing habitat, adds 100,000 tons of spawning gravel, and restores key side channels that improve fish survival. These are not hypothetical projects — they’re real. In 2024, we restored over 10 acres of critical spawning habitat in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, returning 50,000 cubic yards of gravel to the riverbed. This new spawning habitat is already being used by the largest return of spring-run salmon from the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, ever – over 1,200 fish.
What do these actions result in? A projected increase of over 150% in out-migrating juvenile salmon over current conditions — and a 93% increase compared to the State Water Board’s adopted unimpaired flow proposal. We can achieve this with a balanced approach that combines targeted flows with strategic habitat investments.
In an era of volatile state and federal budgets, the Tuolumne agreement is fully self-funded — over $80 million committed by our agencies. We are not waiting on grant cycles or political approvals. We are ready to deliver results immediately.
Last month, the State Water Board staff released the Draft Scientific Basis Report – their technical analysis of the Tuolumne River agreement to inform the State Water Board’s consideration of incorporating the agreement into the Bay-Delta Plan. The release of the Draft Scientific Basis Report for the Tuolumne is an important step in moving the agreement forward. Our agencies look forward to the
opportunity to present our comments and corrections on the report to the State Water Board on November 5. Regardless of the improvements needed in the state’s report, we can’t lose focus on the fact that the Tuolumne agreement can be implemented today, and it will bring about significant enhancements to our communities and the environment.
This is more than a policy, it’s a commitment from the communities who rely on the Tuolumne River every day for clean drinking water, sustainable irrigation, flood control, recreation, and energy.
We’re proud of what this plan represents — not just more water and more fish, but a better way to manage our rivers. A way rooted in collaboration, not confrontation. In science, not speculation. And in action, not delay.
We’re ready. The Tuolumne River is ready. Let’s move forward — together.
