STATE AND FED OFFICIALS UNVEIL DETAILS OF NEW DELTA WATER PLAN

Against the backdrop of historic drought, the Brown Administration and Federal Officials on Thursday (July 9) released the revised environmental impact report for a plan to build two 35-mile-long water diversion tunnels beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The $15 billion “California Water Fix”, once known as the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, is meant to improve water supply reliability and relieve environmental pressures in the southern delta caused by over reliance on massive state and federal pumps near Tracy. Environmental collapse in the delta has restricted freshwater supplies for 3 million acres of farmland and 25 million Californians, and state and federal officials say the tunnels are needed to allow state and federal water contractors to instead divert some water exports from the north delta. The new plan includes changes to intake construction along the Sacramento River and to environmental restoration targets. The Bay Area Council Water Committee has met repeatedly with state officials on the development of the California Water Fix, and will meet with federal policy makers during the Council’s Annual Advocacy Trip to Washington, D.C. from July 28-30. We have not taken a position to date and will be reviewing the new proposal. For more information on the D.C. trip or to join the delegation, please contact Communications Manager Virginia Dawson. To engage in the Council’s water policy work, please contact Policy Director Adrian Covert.