Water Abundance for Communities and the Environment is Achievable
Press release from the State Water Contractors and Westlands Water District
California’s updated operating permits for the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) are already proving that water abundance for homes, farms, and environmental protection can go hand in hand. There are important differences between the prior and new permits for the CVP and SWP, but most significantly, the new permits allow water managers to use real-time hydrologic and biological data to make storm-by-storm decisions, rather than relying on rigid, decades-old rules that often resulted in lost water supplies, even when fish were not at risk.
This flexibility was recently demonstrated during California’s “First Flush” — the state’s first significant rainstorm — which began December 25 and concluded January 7. During this time, action was taken to protect Delta Smelt when turbidity and migration risks can increase while taking advantage of water supplies from recent storms.
“Using real-time monitoring, the Central Valley Project and State Water Project reduced pumping when risks were present, then safely increased pumping when conditions allowed,” said Allison Febbo, General Manager of Westlands Water District. “As a result of the management flexibility under the new permits, during that two-week period, approximately 75,000 acre-feet of additional water moved south of the Delta with no Delta Smelt taken.”
But there is more that can and should be done, especially during large storms.
For example, on January 9, 2026, the Department of Water Resources released water from Lake Oroville to comply with maximum flood storage criteria. Unfortunately, there are no permit terms that allow the State Water Project to adjust operations so that flood releases from Oroville can be moved and stored south of the Delta, even though more than 250,000 acre-feet of water was moving under the Golden Gate Bridge on that day alone. These types of lost opportunities underscore the importance of adaptive management.
“Capturing excess flows when environmentally safe to do so helps maintain water affordability, moves California beyond unnecessary water scarcity, and improves our ability to adapt to a changing climate,” said Jennifer Pierre, General Manager of the State Water Contractors. “The adaptive management approaches provided in the most recent water operation permits build upon decades of scientific research, strengthen drought preparedness, support groundwater sustainability, protect local jobs, and improve water availability for millions of Californians while maintaining strong environmental protections. We need to exercise those options.”
Allison Febbo is the General Manager for Westlands Water District, California’s largest agricultural water district with over 600,000 acres of irrigable land. A hydrologist by training, she brings 25 years of experience in natural resources, hydrology, and water operations to her role. Febbo, in her capacity at Westlands, strives to bridge the gap between science, engineering, and policy for the improvement of California’s water for agricultural and rural use.
Jennifer Pierre is General Manager for the State Water Contractors, who together deliver water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland. With a degree in Conservation Biology from U.C. Davis and more than 25 years of experience in Delta operations, she is committed to finding opportunities to secure California’s most important water supply while also protecting the environment.
