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Topic: Sacramento San Joaquin Delta

Overview April 24, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is California’s most crucial water and ecological resource.

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Aquafornia news May 12, 2025 U.S. Geological Survey/California Water Science Center

Blog: Protecting protected land from pesticides

A new paper in Science of the Total Environment, co‑authored by researchers from several USGS Mission Areas and Centers, including the California Water Science Center, finds fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides at every sampling site across five Sacramento Valley wildlife refuges. Because levels stayed high even far from crops, scientists are probing what this means for pollinators. … Even though National Wildlife Refuges are designed to protect biodiversity, this study shows they are not immune to pollution. The findings highlight the need for stronger efforts to manage pesticide use, both inside and outside protected areas, to ensure the health of these important ecosystems.

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Aquafornia news May 5, 2025 KQED (San Francisco)

This tiny California town is flooded, broke — and reimagining climate insurance

 … As climate change drives up flooding risk, the safest move for Isleton residents might be to abandon their small city — but short of that drastic option, insurance could provide a safety net. Now, with help from researchers, the state has funded its first community flood program, providing one private insurance policy for all Isleton residents at no cost. Isleton is piloting community-based insurance for California, which desperately needs alternatives. … Isleton hoped to fund the program independently after the pilot ends in 2027 by establishing a parcel tax, but many residents seem unsupportive of paying it. Despite the uncertain future, Isleton’s new leadership said they plan to lock in the insurance policy this month.

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Aquafornia news May 2, 2025 Los Angeles Times

Friday Top of the Scroll: U.S. House votes to take California fish off endangered species list

House Republicans passed a measure Thursday that would repeal the government’s decision to place California’s longfin smelt, a finger-sized fish, on the endangered species list. House members passed the resolution, introduced by California Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale), in a 216-195 vote that followed party lines. The resolution now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate. “We want to block the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s misguided decision to list the San Francisco Bay Delta population of the longfin smelt as being endangered,” LaMalfa, who represents a rice-growing region in Northern California, said before the vote. He said the agency’s decision last year to declare the fish species endangered was “unscientific” and said it’s making it harder to deliver water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farmers.

Other ESA news:

  • The San Joaquin Valley Sun: House OKs repealing endangered listing for longfin Delta smelt
  • Congressman David Valadao: News release: Congressman Valadao applauds passage of resolution to repeal longfin smelt ESA listing
  • Best Best & Krieger: Blog: Federal wildlife agencies propose rescinding definition of “harm” under Endangered Species Act
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Aquafornia news April 29, 2025 Delta Stewardship Council

Blog: What is environmental justice?

The principles of environmental justice call for the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, culture, national origin, or income, in the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Environmental justice also necessitates dedicated outreach and transparent opportunities for all community members to represent their concerns in the decision-making process. The Delta Stewardship Council has worked to incorporate environmental justice into several recent and ongoing initiatives, described below. These initiatives also identify the next steps to address environmental justice in our future work.

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Aquafornia news April 28, 2025 Politico

McNerney’s taking on water, Newsom and Trump

Sen. Jerry McNerney is stepping into the fight over one of the biggest modern-day water projects in California — a tunnel to reroute more water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta south to farmers and cities — just as it’s heating up. Representatives of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region have long railed against the project for its potential impact on the environment and local water supplies. But McNerney, a 22-year veteran of Congress who came to the state Senate last year to represent San Joaquin County, which will bear the brunt of the tunnel’s construction, sees political forces aligning in a way that they haven’t in decades. “It’s going to be more of a challenge for us to keep the discussion to actually the benefit and cost of this thing, as opposed to just the will to get it done,” he said.

Other tunnel and pipeline news:

  • Los Angeles Times: Inside the massive tunnel that carries water to Southern California
  • Local News Matters: Marin Water’s planned pipeline would be its largest water supply project in over 40 years
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Aquafornia news April 24, 2025 Maven's Notebook

Blog: How a new wetland restoration could expedite transforming the Delta from a carbon source to a carbon sink

Staten Island lies in the heart of California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, and exemplifies the woes of this troubled region. More than one quarter of the Delta―about 200,000 acres―is deeply subsided. This extreme soil loss puts stress on the levees encircling the islands. And, because the soil there is peat and so rich in organic matter, subsidence in the central Delta also spews carbon into the air. … But Staten Island also offers among the best hope for solving the Delta’s soil loss and greenhouse gas emission problems. The Nature Conservancy is testing ways of halting and even reversing subsidence on the island, and the latest project is a wetland restoration slated to begin as early as this summer. 

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Aquafornia news April 22, 2025 Oakdale Leader (Calif.)

California’s Holland: 55 percent of it is within San Joaquin County

The end of the last California ice age 10,000 years ago did the final carving of Yosemite Valley. It’s part of the 400-mile-long stretch of granite we now call the Sierra that tectonic forces pushed upward over 2.4 million years ago. The global warming that followed the end of the last ice age gets credit for creating the Rodney Dangerfield of California’s great natural wonders — the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta. Before temperatures started heating up to force the retreat of the vast glaciers that once covered a large swath of what is today eastern California, the sea level was more than 300 feet lower with the edge of present-day San Francisco nearly 20 miles from the ocean. The Great Central Valley was a massive inland sea. And at the bottom of that sea was what is today the Delta.

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Aquafornia news April 21, 2025 California WaterBlog

Newly listed smelt in the Delta

Late last summer, on August 29th, 2024, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed the San Francisco Bay-Delta distinct population segment of longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) as ‘endangered’ under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). With this decision, the Longfin Smelt joins the Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), the longfin’s infamous cousin species, as a list species under the ESA. Longfin smelt had already been listed as ‘threatened’ under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), but the new federal listing is a sign of the challenges that smelt and the broader Delta ecosystem face. The listing brings additional protections and new regulatory requirements that may further complicate water management in the Delta. This blog post provides an overview of this population of Longfin Smelt, explains what listing means, and then discusses ongoing work at UC Davis and beyond to recover Longfin Smelt populations.

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Aquafornia news April 14, 2025 The Sacramento Bee

Monday Top of the Scroll: California halves Delta water pumping to protect fish

California water managers this week cut in half the amount of water being pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta at the state’s plant near Tracy, saying the main reservoir it serves is nearly full and the water is needed for fish. The reduction is required under the state’s environmental permits for pumping from the fragile Delta, because despite nearly full reservoirs and a robust snowpack, the San Joaquin River watershed had less-than-normal precipitation during the water year which began Oct. 1. … The state’s Banks Pumping Plant lifts water from the Delta to canals and reservoirs that serve San Joaquin Valley farms and Southern California cities. But environmental regulations require pumping to be reduced in the spring months of March, April and May to protect fish, including spring-run Chinook salmon, Delta smelt and longfin smelt, DWR officials said in a news release.

Other California water supply news:

  • Newsweek: Timelapse shows ‘incredible news’ for California reservoirs
  • Restore the Delta: News release: Court blocks delta tunnel drilling – again
  • Real Clear Investigation: Blog: Waste of the day: Fight continues over California’s $20 billion water tunnel
  • SFGate: California’s (land) drought has returned — and it’s already bad 
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Aquafornia news April 11, 2025 California Department of Water Resources

News release: Changes to Delta operations start today: balancing water needs for millions of Californians and the environment

California’s water system is complex and requires real-time adjustments to balance the needs of our state’s cities and farms and the natural environment. Starting today, the State Water Project (SWP) is adjusting operations to meet those needs. … As of today, SWP pumping rates in the Delta have been reduced from approximately 1,200 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 600 cfs. … The pumping curtailment is required under a permit to protect five fish species listed under endangered species laws. … In future years, the SWP’s spring outflow requirement may be satisfied through a different method than simply reduced pumping. The State Water Resources Control Board is currently considering adoption of a program, called Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, that would expand fish habitat and increase springtime flows in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and the rivers that flow to them, as well as Delta outflow.

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Aquafornia news April 10, 2025 CalMatters

Thursday Top of the Scroll: CA’s Delta levees are at risk of floods. Repairs could cost $3 billion

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is facing a funding crisis that has bogged down efforts to repair and maintain an aging network of about 1,100 miles of levees that protect the region from floods.  These protective ridges of dirt and rocks, mostly on private land, are at growing risk of rupturing, which would endanger half a million people, mostly in Stockton but also in smaller towns and farmsteads. Also threatened are thousands of acres of farmland, highways and water supply pumps that send water to much of the state. … Without substantial improvements to Delta levees in the next 25 years, “more than $10 billion in agricultural, residential, commercial, and infrastructure assets and nearly $2 billion in annual economic activity would be exposed to flooding,” according to an estimate from the Delta Stewardship Council. 

Other Delta and water infrastructure news:

  • Ag Alert: On the Record: (California Natural Resources Secretary) Wade Crowfoot talks California’s natural resources​
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Aquafornia news April 8, 2025 Smart Water Magazine

Sites Reservoir Project allocated $134 million in additional federal funding

The Bureau of Reclamation has announced a $134 million award for the proposed Sites Reservoir Project. This new water storage project would be the second largest off-stream reservoir in the nation and would increase Northern California’s water storage capacity by up to 15 percent. The award, funded by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, previously received $389.65 million and was also authorized $256.5 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, for a total of $780.15 million in federal contributions to date. 

Related article:

  • Sacramento News and Review: Opinion: Fishing and environmental groups slam $134 million in additional federal funding for Sites Reservoir in Sacramento Valley
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Aquafornia news April 8, 2025 UC Davis

News release: California rice and conservation

In 1991, the state of California largely banned burning of rice straw after harvest, and farmers turned instead to winter flooding of fields to break down straw. As a result, wildlife has flourished in rice fields which reproduce, to some extent, the wetland habitat that once covered most of California’s Central Valley. Rice fields now support some 200 species including fish, birds and reptiles. Winter flooding depends on sufficient water supplies and farmers have come under pressure from drought, climate change and economic changes, putting this success story at risk. Last year, the California Rice Commission asked researchers at UC Davis and Point Blue Conservation Sciences to estimate how many acres of rice would be required to support multiple species. 

Related article:

  • California WaterBlog: A conservation footprint for multiple species of wildlife in California rice
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Aquafornia news April 2, 2025 CalMatters

Opinion: In California’s Capitol, some political fights span decades

Were we able to transport ourselves back in time 50 years and into California’s Capitol, we would find a governor seeking and enjoying massive attention by national political media as he eyes some greater office. We’d also find a Legislature dealing with conflicts among influential interests with heavy financial impacts. In other words, the Capitol’s dynamics in 1975 were pretty much what they are today. The resemblance even extends to specific issues. For instance, then-Gov. Jerry Brown was touting a “peripheral canal” in 1975 to carry water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Gavin Newsom was seven years old then, but now as governor is waging the same campaign for a tunnel to do the same thing and is facing the same opposition.
–Written by CalMatters columnist Dan Walters

Related article:

  • Daily Kos: Blog: The mask comes off: Department of Water Resources reveals true purpose of the Delta Tunnel
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Western Water February 13, 2025 WESTERN WATER: Golden Mussel, California’s Newest Delta Invader, Is Likely Here To Stay – And Spread Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Map Spencer Fordin and Douglas E. Beeman

Golden Mussel, California’s Newest Delta Invader, Is Likely Here To Stay – And Spread
WESTERN WATER NOTEBOOK: Aquatic hitchhiker adds to burden of invasive mussels challenging water agencies across the West

Image shows golden mussels clustered on a buoy, found during a survey in November 2024 at O'Neill Forebay at the foot of San Luis Reservoir in Merced County. The mussels were also discovered for the first time in North America last fall in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and O'Neill Forebay. A new aquatic invader, the golden mussel, has penetrated California’s ecologically fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the West Coast’s largest tidal estuary and the hub of the state’s vast water export system. While state officials say they’re working to keep this latest invasive species in check, they concede it may be a nearly impossible task: The golden mussel is in the Golden State to stay – and it is likely to spread.

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Aquafornia news April 30, 2024 Los Angeles Times

Editorial: Even with tax and rate hikes, SoCal water is still pretty cheap

It’s the most frustrating part of conservation. To save water, you rip out your lawn, shorten your shower time, collect rainwater for the flowers and stop washing the car. Your water use plummets. And for all that trouble, your water supplier raises your rates. Why? Because everyone is using so much less that the agency is losing money. That’s the dynamic in play with Southern California’s massive wholesaler, the Metropolitan Water District, despite full reservoirs after two of history’s wettest winters. … Should water users be happy about these increases? The answer is a counterintuitive “yes.” Costs would be higher and water scarcer in the future without modest hikes now.

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Aquafornia news February 6, 2024 NOAA Fisheries

Blog: Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon remain endangered, review finds

Partners have pulled together to support the recovery of endangered Sacramento winter-run Chinook salmon in the last few years. However, the species still faces threats from climate change and other factors. That is the conclusion of an Endangered Species Act review that NOAA Fisheries completed for the native California species. It once returned in great numbers to the tributaries of the Sacramento River and supported local tribes. The review concluded that the species remains endangered, and identified key recovery actions to help the species survive climate change. While partners have taken steps to protect winter-run Chinook salmon, blocked habitat, altered flows, and higher temperatures continue to threaten their survival.

Related articles: 

  • National Fisherman: California salmon disaster funding falls far short, say fishing advocates
  • FishBio: If you (un)build it, they will come – Studying impacts of fish passage barrier removal on Big Chico Creek
  • KRCR – Redding: Historic dam removals in California’s Klamath aim to revive salmon
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Announcement January 25, 2023

Foundation Unveils Interactive Online Tour of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Story map guides readers through different facets of the Delta, including its importance as an ecological resource and water hub

Image shows opening screen on Delta story mapThe Water Education Foundation has unveiled an interactive online tour of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that offers viewers and readers a broad overview of the heart of California water – its history and development, its importance as an ecological resource and water hub and the array of challenges it faces.

Titled “Exploring the Heart of California Water,” the online tour, built as a story map, guides readers and viewers through different facets of the Delta. It includes the Delta’s history and the people – including the Native American tribes – who have lived there, the fish and wildlife that depend on its waters and its role as a crossroads for federal, state and local water projects.

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Western Water February 25, 2022 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Map Layperson's Guide to the Delta WESTERN WATER-With Delta Smelt Virtually Gone in the Wild, A "Hatch-and-Release" Program Aims to Save Them From Extinction By Alastair Bland

With Delta Smelt All But Gone in the Wild, A First-Ever “Hatch-and-Release” Effort Aims to Save Them From Extinction
WESTERN WATER NOTEBOOK: Experimental releases of finger-size fish into Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta inspires hope, but also skepticism, about the smelt's future

Crew releases hatchery-raised Delta smelt into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. In the vast labyrinth of the West Coast’s largest freshwater tidal estuary, one native fish species has never been so rare. Once uncountably numerous, the Delta smelt was placed on state and federal endangered species lists in 1993, stopped appearing in most annual sampling surveys in 2016, and is now, for all practical purposes, extinct in the wild. At least, it was.

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Western Water May 21, 2021 Layperson's Guide to the State Water Project MWD's Jeff Kightlinger Reflects On Building Big Things, Essential Partnerships and His Hopes For the Delta By Gary Pitzer

MWD’s Jeff Kightlinger Reflects On Building Big Things, Essential Partnerships and His Hopes For the Delta
WESTERN WATER Q&A: Veteran Water Boss, Retiring After 25 Years With SoCal Water Giant, Discusses ‘Permanent’ Drought, Conservation Gains & the Struggling Colorado River

Jeff Kightlinger, longtime general manager of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.When you oversee the largest supplier of treated water in the United States, you tend to think big.

Jeff Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for the last 15 years, has focused on diversifying his agency’s water supply and building security through investment. That means looking beyond MWD’s borders to ensure the reliable delivery of water to two-thirds of California’s population.

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Maps & Posters March 5, 2021 Layperson's Guide to the Delta Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Education Bundle

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Map
Published March 2021

Delta Map for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

This beautifully illustrated 24×36-inch poster, suitable for framing and display in any office or classroom, highlights the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, its place as a center of farming, its importance as an ecological resource and its vital role in California’s water supply system. 

The text, photos and graphics explain issues related to land subsidence, levees and flooding, urbanization, farming, fish and wildlife protection. An inset map illustrates the tidal action that increases the salinity of the Delta’s waterways. 

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Western Water October 23, 2020 Layperson's Guide to the Delta By Gary Pitzer

Is Ecosystem Change in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Outpacing the Ability of Science to Keep Up?
WESTERN WATER IN-DEPTH: Science panel argues for a new approach to make research nimbler and more forward-looking to improve management in the ailing Delta

Floating vegetation such as water hyacinth has expanded in the Delta in recent years, choking waterways like the one in the bottom of this photo.Radically transformed from its ancient origin as a vast tidal-influenced freshwater marsh, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem is in constant flux, influenced by factors within the estuary itself and the massive watersheds that drain though it into the Pacific Ocean.

Lately, however, scientists say the rate of change has kicked into overdrive, fueled in part by climate change, and is limiting the ability of science and Delta water managers to keep up. The rapid pace of upheaval demands a new way of conducting science and managing water in the troubled estuary.

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Western Water April 17, 2020 Gary Pitzer

Framework for Agreements to Aid Health of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a Starting Point With An Uncertain End
WESTERN WATER IN-DEPTH: Voluntary agreement discussions continue despite court fights, state-federal conflicts and skepticism among some water users and environmental groups

Aerial image of the Sacramento-San Joaquin DeltaVoluntary agreements in California have been touted as an innovative and flexible way to improve environmental conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the rivers that feed it. The goal is to provide river flows and habitat for fish while still allowing enough water to be diverted for farms and cities in a way that satisfies state regulators.

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Western Water February 6, 2020 Water Education Foundation

ON THE ROAD: Cosumnes River Preserve Offers Visitors a Peek at What the Central Valley Once Looked Like
Preserve at the edge of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta includes valley oak forests and wintering grounds for cranes

Sandhill cranes gather at the Cosumnes River Preserve south of Sacramento.Deep, throaty cadenced calls — sounding like an off-key bassoon — echo over the grasslands, farmers’ fields and wetlands starting in late September of each year. They mark the annual return of sandhill cranes to the Cosumnes River Preserve, 46,000 acres located 20 miles south of Sacramento on the edge of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

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Announcement July 24, 2019

Registration Now Open for the 36th Annual Water Summit; Take Advantage of Early Bird Discount by Registering Today
Join us Oct. 30 for key conversations on water in California and the West

Registration opens today for the Water Education Foundation’s 36th annual Water Summit, set for Oct. 30 in Sacramento. This year’s theme, Water Year 2020: A Year of Reckoning, reflects fast-approaching deadlines for the State Groundwater Management Act as well as the pressing need for new approaches to water management as California and the West weather intensified flooding, fire and drought. To register for this can’t-miss event, visit our Water Summit event page.

Registration includes a full day of discussions by leading stakeholders and policymakers on key issues, as well as coffee, materials, gourmet lunch and an outdoor reception by the Sacramento River that will offer the opportunity to network with speakers and other attendees. The summit also features a silent auction to benefit our Water Leaders program featuring items up for bid such as kayaking trips, hotel stays and lunches with key people in the water world.

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Western Water July 11, 2019 California Water Map

Your Don’t-Miss Roundup of Summer Reading From Western Water

Dear Western Water reader, 

Clockwise, from top: Lake Powell, on a drought-stressed Colorado River; Subsidence-affected bridge over the Friant-Kern Canal in the San Joaquin Valley;  A homeless camp along the Sacramento River near Old Town Sacramento; Water from a desalination plant in Southern California.Summer is a good time to take a break, relax and enjoy some of the great beaches, waterways and watersheds around California and the West. We hope you’re getting a chance to do plenty of that this July.

But in the weekly sprint through work, it’s easy to miss some interesting nuggets you might want to read. So while we’re taking a publishing break to work on other water articles planned for later this year, we want to help you catch up on Western Water stories from the first half of this year that you might have missed. 

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Announcement July 10, 2019

2019 Water Summit Theme Announced – Water Year 2020: A Year of Reckoning
Join us October 30 in Sacramento for our premier annual event

Sacramento RiverOur 36th annual Water Summit, happening Oct. 30 in Sacramento, will feature the theme “Water Year 2020: A Year of Reckoning,” reflecting upcoming regulatory deadlines and efforts to improve water management and policy in the face of natural disasters.

The Summit will feature top policymakers and leading stakeholders providing the latest information and a variety of viewpoints on issues affecting water across California and the West.

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Western Water April 25, 2019 California Water Map Gary Pitzer

California’s New Natural Resources Secretary Takes on Challenge of Implementing Gov. Newsom’s Ambitious Water Agenda
WESTERN WATER Q&A: Wade Crowfoot addresses Delta tunnel shift, Salton Sea plan and managing water amid a legacy of conflict

Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Secretary.One of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s first actions after taking office was to appoint Wade Crowfoot as Natural Resources Agency secretary. Then, within weeks, the governor laid out an ambitious water agenda that Crowfoot, 45, is now charged with executing.

That agenda includes the governor’s desire for a “fresh approach” on water, scaling back the conveyance plan in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and calling for more water recycling, expanded floodplains in the Central Valley and more groundwater recharge.

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Western Water April 11, 2019 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Map Gary Pitzer

Bruce Babbitt Urges Creation of Bay-Delta Compact as Way to End ‘Culture of Conflict’ in California’s Key Water Hub
WESTERN WATER NOTEBOOK: Former Interior secretary says Colorado River Compact is a model for achieving peace and addressing environmental and water needs in the Delta

Former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt gives the Anne J. Schneider Lecture April 3 at Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum.  Bruce Babbitt, the former Arizona governor and secretary of the Interior, has been a thoughtful, provocative and sometimes forceful voice in some of the most high-profile water conflicts over the last 40 years, including groundwater management in Arizona and the reduction of California’s take of the Colorado River. In 2016, former California Gov. Jerry Brown named Babbitt as a special adviser to work on matters relating to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Delta tunnels plan.

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Western Water October 5, 2018 Douglas E. Beeman

What Would You Do About Water If You Were California’s Next Governor?
WESTERN WATER NOTEBOOK: Survey at Foundation’s Sept. 20 Water Summit elicits a long and wide-ranging potential to-do list

There’s going to be a new governor in California next year – and a host of challenges both old and new involving the state’s most vital natural resource, water.

So what should be the next governor’s water priorities?

That was one of the questions put to more than 150 participants during a wrap-up session at the end of the Water Education Foundation’s Sept. 20 Water Summit in Sacramento.

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Western Water September 21, 2018 Colorado River Basin Map California Water Map Gary Pitzer

Despite Risk of Unprecedented Shortage on the Colorado River, Reclamation Commissioner Sees Room for Optimism
WESTERN WATER NOTEBOOK: Commissioner Brenda Burman, in address at Foundation’s Water Summit, also highlights Shasta Dam plan

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda BurmanThe Colorado River Basin is more than likely headed to unprecedented shortage in 2020 that could force supply cuts to some states, but work is “furiously” underway to reduce the risk and avert a crisis, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman told an audience of California water industry people.

During a keynote address at the Water Education Foundation’s Sept. 20 Water Summit in Sacramento, Burman said there is opportunity for Colorado River Basin states to control their destiny, but acknowledged that in water, there are no guarantees that agreement can be reached.

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Western Water August 24, 2018 California Water Map Gary Pitzer

When Water Worries Often Pit Farms vs. Fish, a Sacramento Valley Farm Is Trying To Address The Needs Of Both
WESTERN WATER SPOTLIGHT: River Garden Farms is piloting projects that could add habitat and food to aid Sacramento River salmon

Roger Cornwell, general manager of River Garden Farms, with an example of a refuge like the ones that were lowered into the Sacramento River at Redding to shelter juvenile salmon.  Farmers in the Central Valley are broiling about California’s plan to increase flows in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river systems to help struggling salmon runs avoid extinction. But in one corner of the fertile breadbasket, River Garden Farms is taking part in some extraordinary efforts to provide the embattled fish with refuge from predators and enough food to eat.

And while there is no direct benefit to one farm’s voluntary actions, the belief is what’s good for the fish is good for the farmers.

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Western Water June 1, 2018 Space Invaders Gary Pitzer

It’s Not Just Nutria — Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has 185 Invasive Species, But Tracking Them is Uneven
WESTERN WATER NOTEBOOK: Delta science panel urges greater coordination, funding of invasive species monitoring

Water hyacinth choke a channel in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.For more than 100 years, invasive species have made the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta their home, disrupting the ecosystem and costing millions of dollars annually in remediation.

The latest invader is the nutria, a large rodent native to South America that causes concern because of its propensity to devour every bit of vegetation in sight and destabilize levees by burrowing into them. Wildlife officials are trapping the animal and trying to learn the extent of its infestation.

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Western Water June 1, 2018 Water Education Foundation

ON THE ROAD: Cosumnes River Preserve Offers Visitors a Peek at What the Central Valley Once Looked Like
Preserve at the edge of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta includes valley oak forests and wintering grounds for cranes

Sandhill cranes gather at the Cosumnes River Preserve south of Sacramento.Deep, throaty cadenced calls — sounding like an off-key bassoon — echo over the grasslands, farmers’ fields and wetlands starting in late September of each year. They mark the annual return of sandhill cranes to the Cosumnes River Preserve, 46,000 acres located 20 miles south of Sacramento on the edge of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

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Aquapedia background August 7, 2017 Layperson's Guide to the Delta

Estuary

Suisun Marsh, part of the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary, is the largest contiguous brackish water marsh on the West Coast of North America.Estuaries are places where fresh and salt water mix, usually at the point where a river enters the ocean. They are the meeting point between riverine environments and the sea, with a combination of tides, waves, salinity, fresh water flow and sediment. The constant churning means there are elevated levels of nutrients, making estuaries highly productive natural habitats.

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Western Water November 16, 2016 Gary Pitzer

Delta Report Highlights Need to Restore Legacy Processes

Understanding the importance of the Bay-Delta ecosystem and working to restore it means grasping the scope of what it once was.

That’s the takeaway message of a report released Nov. 14 by the San Francisco Estuary Institute.

The report, “A Delta Renewed,” is the latest in a series sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW). Written by several authors, the report says there is “cause for hope” to achieving large-scale Delta restoration in a way that supports people, farms and the environment. SFEI calls itself “one of California’s premier aquatic and ecosystem science institutes.”

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Aquapedia background September 8, 2016

Zooplankton

Examples of zooplanktonZooplankton, which are floating aquatic microorganisms too small and weak to swim against currents, are are important food sources for many fish species in the Delta such as salmon, sturgeon and Delta smelt.

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Aquapedia background April 5, 2016 California Water Map

Sites Reservoir

Location for the proposed Sites ReservoirThe proposed Sites Reservoir would be an off-river storage basin on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, about 78 miles northwest of Sacramento. It would capture stormwater flows from the Sacramento River for release in dry years for fish and wildlife, farms, communities and businesses.

The water would be held in a 14,000-acre basin of grasslands surrounded by the rolling eastern foothills of the Coast Range. Known as Antelope Valley, the sparsely populated area in Glenn and Colusa counties is used for livestock grazing.

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Western Water Excerpt October 21, 2014 Jenn Bowles

Finding the Right Balance: Managing Delta Salinity in Drought
September/October 2014

In wet years, dry years and every type of water year in between, the daily intrusion and retreat of salinity in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a constant pattern.

The cycle of ebb and flood is the defining nature of an estuary and prior to its transformation into an agricul­tural tract in the mid-19th century, the Delta was a freshwater marsh with plants, birds, fish and wildlife that thrived on the edge of the saltwater/freshwater interface.

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Tour June 18, 2014 Images from the Bay-Delta tour

Bay-Delta Tour 2014
Field Trip (past)

The 2014 tour took place June 18 – 20.

This 3-day, 2-night tour takes participants to the heart of California water policy – the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay.

  • Keith Coolidge, Delta Stewardship Council: Delta Overview
  • Bryan Brock, DWR: Subsidence Mitigation
  • Bryan Brock, DWR: Sustainable Delta Farming
  • CCWD: Historical Freshwater and Salinity Conditions
  • CCWD: Protecting Delta Fisheries
  • CCWD: Canal Replacement Project
  • CCWD: Bay-Delta Tour Map
  • Erin Chappell, DWR: Climate Change Impacts Bay-Delta Region
  • Bruce Herbold
  • Jason Peltier
  • Caitrin Chapelle, PPIC: Stress Relief: Prescriptions for a Healthier Delta Ecosystem
  • John Herrick, South Delta Water Agency: BDCP: A Plan to Lose the Delta
  • Jacob McQuirk, DWR: Delta Water Conveyance
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Video May 29, 2014

Overcoming the Deluge: California’s Plan for Managing Floods (DVD)

This 30-minute documentary, produced in 2011, explores the past, present and future of flood management in California’s Central Valley. It features stories from residents who have experienced the devastating effects of a California flood firsthand. Interviews with long-time Central Valley water experts from California Department of Water Resources (FloodSAFE), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Central Valley Flood Management Program and environmental groups are featured as they discuss current efforts to improve the state’s 150-year old flood protection system and develop a sustainable, integrated, holistic flood management plan for the Central Valley.

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Video May 27, 2014

Restoring a River: Voices of the San Joaquin

This 30-minute documentary-style DVD on the history and current state of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program includes an overview of the geography and history of the river, historical and current water delivery and uses, the genesis and timeline of the 1988 lawsuit, how the settlement was reached and what was agreed to.

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Video May 27, 2014

A Climate of Change: Water Adaptation Strategies

This 25-minute documentary-style DVD, developed in partnership with the California Department of Water Resources, provides an excellent overview of climate change and how it is already affecting California. The DVD also explains what scientists anticipate in the future related to sea level rise and precipitation/runoff changes and explores the efforts that are underway to plan and adapt to climate.

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Video May 22, 2014

Delta Warning

15-minute DVD that graphically portrays the potential disaster should a major earthquake hit the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. “Delta Warning” depicts what would happen in the event of an earthquake registering 6.5 on the Richter scale: 30 levee breaks, 16 flooded islands and a 300 billion gallon intrusion of salt water from the Bay – the “big gulp” – which would shut down the State Water Project and Central Valley Project pumping plants.

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Video May 22, 2014

Shaping of the West: 100 Years of Reclamation

30-minute DVD that traces the history of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and its role in the development of the West. Includes extensive historic footage of farming and the construction of dams and other water projects, and discusses historic and modern day issues.

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Video May 21, 2014

Water on the Edge (60-minute DVD)

Water truly has shaped California into the great state it is today. And if it is water that made California great, it’s the fight over – and with – water that also makes it so critically important. In efforts to remap California’s circulatory system, there have been some critical events that had a profound impact on California’s water history. These turning points not only forced a re-evaluation of water, but continue to impact the lives of every Californian. This 2005 PBS documentary offers a historical and current look at the major water issues that shaped the state we know today. Includes a 12-page viewer’s guide with background information, historic timeline and a teacher’s lesson.

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Maps & Posters May 20, 2014

San Joaquin River Restoration Map
Published 2012

This beautiful 24×36 inch poster, suitable for framing, features a map of the San Joaquin River. The map text focuses on the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, which aims to restore flows and populations of Chinook salmon to the river below Friant Dam to its confluence with the Merced River. The text discusses the history of the program, its goals and ongoing challenges with implementation. 

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Maps & Posters May 20, 2014

Water Cycle Poster

Water as a renewable resource is depicted in this 18×24 inch poster. Water is renewed again and again by the natural hydrologic cycle where water evaporates, transpires from plants, rises to form clouds, and returns to the earth as precipitation. Excellent for elementary school classroom use.

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Maps & Posters May 20, 2014

Invasive Species Poster Set

One copy of the Space Invaders and one copy of the Unwelcome Visitors poster for a special price.

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Maps & Posters May 20, 2014

Unwelcome Visitors

This 24×36 inch poster, suitable for framing, explains how non-native invasive animals can alter the natural ecosystem, leading to the demise of native animals. “Unwelcome Visitors” features photos and information on four such species – including the zerbra mussel – and explains the environmental and economic threats posed by these species.

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Maps & Posters May 20, 2014

Space Invaders

This 24×36 inch poster, suitable for framing, explains how non-native invasive plants can alter the natural ecosystem, leading to the demise of native plants and animals. “Space Invaders” features photos and information on six non-native plants that have caused widespread problems in the Bay-Delta Estuary and elsewhere.

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Publication May 20, 2014

Layperson’s Guide to the State Water Project
Updated 2013

The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to the State Water Project provides an overview of the California-funded and constructed State Water Project.

The State Water Project is best known for the 444-mile-long aqueduct that provides water from the Delta to San Joaquin Valley agriculture and southern California cities. The guide contains information about the project’s history and facilities.

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Publication May 20, 2014

Layperson’s Guide to Flood Management
Updated 2009

The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to Flood Management explains the physical flood control system, including levees; discusses previous flood events (including the 1997 flooding); explores issues of floodplain management and development; provides an overview of flood forecasting; and outlines ongoing flood control projects. 

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Publication May 20, 2014 California Water Map

Layperson’s Guide to California Water
Updated 2021

The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to California Water provides an excellent overview of the history of water development and use in California. It includes sections on flood management; the state, federal and Colorado River delivery systems; Delta issues; water rights; environmental issues; water quality; and options for stretching the water supply such as water marketing and conjunctive use. New in this 10th edition of the guide is a section on the human need for water. 

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Publication May 20, 2014

Layperson’s Guide to the Central Valley Project
Updated 2021

The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to the Central Valley Project explores the history and development of the federal Central Valley Project (CVP), California’s largest surface water delivery system. In addition to the project’s history, the guide describes the various facilities, operations and benefits the water project brings to the state along with the CVP Improvement Act (CVPIA).

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Publication April 17, 2014 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Map

Layperson’s Guide to the Delta
Updated 2020

The 24-page Layperson’s Guide to the Delta explores the competing uses and demands on California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Included in the guide are sections on the history of the Delta, its role in the state’s water system, and its many complex issues with sections on water quality, levees, salinity and agricultural drainage, fish and wildlife, and water distribution.

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Maps & Posters April 17, 2014 California Water Bundle

California Water Map
Updated December 2016

A new look for our most popular product! And it’s the perfect gift for the water wonk in your life.

Our 24×36-inch California Water Map is widely known for being the definitive poster that shows the integral role water plays in the state. On this updated version, it is easier to see California’s natural waterways and man-made reservoirs and aqueducts – including federally, state and locally funded projects – the wild and scenic rivers system, and natural lakes. The map features beautiful photos of California’s natural environment, rivers, water projects, wildlife, and urban and agricultural uses and the text focuses on key issues: water supply, water use, water projects, the Delta, wild and scenic rivers and the Colorado River.

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Photo gallery February 13, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Brannan Island
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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014 Dams Layperson's Guide to the Central Valley Project Layperson's Guide to the State Water Project

San Luis Reservoir

Aerial view of San Luis Reservoir

The San Luis Reservoir is the nation’s largest off-stream reservoir, serving as a key water facility for both the State Water Project (SWP) and the federal Central Valley Project (CVP).

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

San Luis Drain

The San Luis Drain centers on the controversial idea of funneling agriculture drainage water for discharge in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Proposals

There are multiple proposals for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta underway, though a decision on the future of the Delta is still far from a foregone conclusion.

Unlike past planning efforts that focused primarily on water resource issues and the ecosystem, some current efforts to revitalize the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta include:

  • land use planning
  • recreation
  • flood management and energy
  • rail and transportation infrastructure

How— or if—all these competing demands can be accommodated is an open question.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Litigation

For more than 30 years, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been embroiled in continuing controversy over the struggle to restore the faltering ecosystem while maintaining its role as the hub of the state’s water supply.

Lawsuits and counter lawsuits have been filed, while environmentalists and water users continue to clash over  the amount of water that can be safely exported from the region.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Levees

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Levees

Roughly 1,115 miles of levees protect farms, cities, schools and people in and around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a crucial conduit for California’s overall water supply. But the Delta’s levees are vulnerable to failure due to floods, earthquakes and rising sea levels brought about by climate change. A widespread failure could imperil the state’s water supply.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Land Use and Boundaries

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta includes approximately 500,000 acres of waterways, levees and farmed lands extending over portions of six counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano and Yolo.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Inflow Outflow

The fresh water inflow and outflow of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is critical to its vitality and survival.

Freshwater flows from the Delta meets saltwater from the ocean near Suisun Marsh located to the east of San Francisco Bay. Suisun Marsh and adjoining bays are the brackish transition between fresh and salt water. But the location of that transition is not fixed.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Cross Channel

The 6,000-foot Delta Cross Channel diverts water from the Sacramento River into a branch of the Mokelumne River, where it follows natural channels for about 50 miles to the Jones Pumping Plant intake channel. Located near the State Water Project’s Harvey O.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Chronology

Historic sketch of laborers building a levee in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

1772 First recorded sighting of the Bay Delta by Spanish explorers.

1849 Settlers begin farming in the Delta.

1861 Reclamation District Act authorized, allowing drainage of Delta lands and construction of sturdier flood control levees.

1879 The striped bass is brought by rail from the East Coast to the Delta.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Canal/Tunnel Proposals

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Canal/Tunnel Proposals

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been the hub of California’s water system for more than 50 years and along the way water experts have struggled to balance the many competing demands placed on the estuary—the largest freshwater tidal estuary on the West Coast.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Salinity

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta always has been at the mercy of river flows and brackish tides.

Before human intervention, salty ocean water from the San Francisco Bay flooded the vast Delta marshes during dry summers when mountain runoff ebbed. Then, during winter, heavy runoff from the mountains repelled sea water intrusion.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014 Layperson's Guide to the Delta Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Map

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is California’s most crucial water and ecological resource. It is the largest freshwater tidal estuary of its kind on the west coast of the Americas, providing important habitat for birds on the Pacific Flyway and for fish that live in or pass through the Delta. It also the hub of California’s two largest surface water delivery projects, the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project. The Delta provides a portion of the drinking water for 27 million Californians and irrigation water for large portions of the state’s $50 billion agricultural industry.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Distribution

The majority of people, farms and businesses in California depend on water transported through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Fish and Wildlife

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta supports more than 55 fish species and more than 750 plant and wildlife species.

Over times, the home of these species-the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem-has been impacted for many decades by human activities, such as gold mining, flood protection and land reclamation. Along the way, more than 200 exotic species have been intentionally or accidentally introduced.

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Aquapedia background February 11, 2014

Monterey Amendment

The Monterey Amendment, a 1994 pact between Department of Water Resources and State Water Project contractors, helped ease environmental stresses on the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta.

As part of large-scale restructuring of water supply contracts, the Monterey Amendment allowed for storage of excess flows during wet years in groundwater banks and surface storage reservoir. This stored water could then be used later during dry periods or to help the Delta.

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Aquapedia background February 10, 2014

Judge Wanger Rulings

Federal Judge Oliver Wanger overturned a federal scientific study that aimed to protect Delta smelt in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

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Aquapedia background February 10, 2014 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Map Layperson's Guide to the Delta

Invasive Species

Invasive water hyacinth surrounds docks and boats in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Invasive species, also known as exotics, are plants, animals, insects and aquatic species introduced into non-native habitats.

Often, invasive species travel to non-native areas by ship, either in ballast water released into harbors or attached to the sides of boats. From there, introduced species can then spread and significantly alter ecosystems and the natural food chain as they go. Another example of non-native species introduction is the dumping of aquarium fish into waterways.

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Aquapedia background February 3, 2014

Environmental Issues and Water

Environmental concerns have closely followed California’s development of water resources since its earliest days as a state.

Early miners harnessed water to dislodge gold through hydraulic mining. Debris resulting from these mining practices washed down in rivers and streams, choking them and harming aquatic life and causing flooding.

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Aquapedia background February 3, 2014

Delta Stewardship Council

The Delta Stewardship Council was created as an independent state agency in 2009 to achieve California’s coequal goals for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of providing a more reliable water supply for the state and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem. 

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Aquapedia background February 3, 2014

Delta-Mendota Canal

Delta-Mendota Canal

The117-mile long Delta-Mendota Canal in central California delivers water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the San Joaquin Valley. It is part of the Central Valley Project.

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Aquapedia background February 3, 2014

Delta Risk Management Strategy

Delta Risk Management Strategy

Overseen by the California Department of Water Resources, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Delta Risk Management Strategy evaluated the sustainability of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and assessed major risks from floods, seepage, subsidence and earthquakes, sea level rise and climate change.

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Aquapedia background February 3, 2014

Delta Pumping Plant Fish Protection Agreement

The Delta Pumping Plant Fish Protection Agreement stems from an early effort to balance the needs of fish protection and State Water Project operations.  Negotiated in the mid-1980s, the agreement foreshadowed future battles over fish protection and pumping. [See also Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.]

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Aquapedia background February 3, 2014

Delta Plan

The Delta Plan is a comprehensive management plan for the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta intended to help the state meet the coequal goals of water reliability and ecosystem restoration.

The Delta Stewardship Council, which oversees the Delta Plan, adopted a final version in May 2013 after three years of study and public meetings. Once completed, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan could be incorporated into the Delta Plan.

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Aquapedia background January 30, 2014

Contra Costa Canal

Construction began in 1937 to build the Contra Costa Canal, the first part of the federal Central Valley Project.  The Contra Costa Canal runs from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where it draws its water near Knightsen, to the eastern and central parts of Contra Costa County. It is about 30 miles from San Francisco.

  • Read more
Aquapedia background January 30, 2014 California Water Map Layperson's Guide to the State Water Project

California Aqueduct

California Aqueduct

The California Aqueduct, a critical part of the State Water Project, carries water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.

Established as part of a $1.75 billion bond passed by voters in 1960, the 444-mile-long California Aqueduct (formally known as the Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct) begins at the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant in the Delta. It parallels Interstate 5 south to the Tehachapi Mountains.

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Aquapedia background January 30, 2014

Agricultural Drainage and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Few regions are as important to California water as the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers converge to discharge into San Francisco Bay.

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Western Water Magazine May 1, 2013

Meeting the Co-equal Goals? The Bay Delta Conservation Plan
May/June 2013

This issue of Western Water looks at the BDCP and the Coalition to Support Delta Projects, issues that are aimed at improving the health and safety of the Delta while solidifying California’s long-term water supply reliability.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine July 1, 2012

How Much Water Does the Delta Need?
July/August 2012

This printed issue of Western Water examines the issues associated with the State Water Board’s proposed revision of the water quality Bay-Delta Plan, most notably the question of whether additional flows are needed for the system, and how they might be provided.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine July 1, 2011

Making the Connection: Sound Science and Good Delta Policy
July/August 2011

This printed issue of Western Water examines science – the answers it can provide to help guide management decisions in the Delta and the inherent uncertainty it holds that can make moving forward such a tenuous task.

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Western Water Excerpt March 1, 2009 Gary PitzerRita Schmidt Sudman

Delta Conveyance: The Debate Continues
March/April 2009

The critical condition of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has prompted the question of how it can continue to serve as a source of water for 25 million people while remaining a viable ecosystem, agricultural community and growing residential center. Developing a “dual conveyance” system of continuing to use Delta waterways to convey water to the export pumps but also building a new pipeline or canal to move some water supplies around the Delta is an issue of great scrutiny.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine March 1, 2009

Delta Conveyance: The Debate Continues
March/April 2009

This printed issue of Western Water provides an overview of the idea of a dual conveyance facility, including questions surrounding its cost, operation and governance

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine March 1, 2008

Finding a Vision for the Delta
March/April 2008

This printed copy of Western Water examines the Delta through the many ongoing activities focusing on it, most notably the Delta Vision process. Many hours of testimony, research, legal proceedings, public hearings and discussion have occurred and will continue as the state seeks the ultimate solution to the problems tied to the Delta.

  • Read more
Western Water Excerpt March 1, 2008 Gary PitzerRita Schmidt Sudman

Finding a Vision for the Delta
March/April 2008

Consider the array of problems facing the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta for too long and the effect can be nearly overwhelming. Permanently altered more than a century ago, the estuary - arguably the only one of its kind – is an enigma to those outside its realm, a region embroiled in difficulties that resist simple, ready-made solutions.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine January 1, 2007

Building a Delta Vision: A Roundtable Discussion
January/February 2007

There are multiple Delta Vision processes underway and a decision on the future of the Delta will be made in the next two years. Unlike past planning efforts that focused primarily on water resource issues and the ecosystem, these current efforts are expanding to include land use planning, recreation, flood management, and energy, rail and transportation infrastructure. How – or if – all these competing demands can be accommodated is the question being considered.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine May 1, 2006

Developing a Delta Vision
May/June 2006

This issue of Western Water examines the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as it stands today and the efforts by government agencies, policy experts, elected officials and the public at large to craft a vision for a sustainable future.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine March 1, 2005

CALFED at a Crossroads: A Decade of the Bay-Delta Program
March/April 2005

This issue of Western Water discusses the CALFED Bay-Delta Program and what the future holds as it enters a crucial period. From its continued political viability to the advancement of best available science and the challenges of fulfilling the ROD, the near future will feature a lively discussion that will play a significant role in the program’s future.

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Western Water Excerpt January 1, 2004

The CALFED Plan: Making it Happen
Jan/Feb 2004

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta has been described as the “switching yard” of California ’s water delivery system, moving billions of gallons that supply the drinking water and irrigation for millions of people. When stakeholders signed the 1994 Bay-Delta Accord, it was a dual-purpose deal designed to preserve, protect and restore the ecosystem and increase water supply reliability.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine January 1, 2004

CALFED Plan: Making it Happen
January/February 2004

This issue of Western Water examines the extensive activity associated with the projects and issues related to the Napa proposal – from increasing the state’s pumping capacity to improvements in the south Delta to the creation of a lasting Environmental Water Account to addressing water quality concerns. As of press time, the proposal was far from finalized, undergoing review and possible revision by government agencies and stakeholders.

  • Read more
Western Water Magazine September 1, 2002

CALFED Today: A Roundtable Discussion
September/October 2002

The release of the CALFED Record of Decision in 2000 marked a turning point in the multi-year effort to craft a Delta “fix” that addressed both environmental problems and water supply reliability. How to finance the many components within the plan and ensure the plan is implemented over the next 30 years is a major issue.

  • Read more

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