The Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) turns 30 this year. We asked three experts—Jeanne Brantigan of The Nature Conservancy, Samantha Arthur of the National Audubon Society, and Catherine Hickey of Point Blue Conservation Science—to explain what the CVPIA is and why it’s so important for birds. Can you explain a little bit about dedicating water for wildlife refuges under CVPIA? When did it start, and why has it been so significant for California? Samantha Arthur: Congress passed the act in 1992. It recognized the importance of the Central Valley’s rivers for migratory birds, fish, and other wildlife—and the need to make protection and restoration of fish and wildlife a coequal purpose of the Central Valley Project (CVP), along with other uses, including agricultural, municipal, industrial, and more.