Board of Directors Meeting May 6, 2021 - Granicus

SECURING WATER FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW…

Board of Directors Meeting

May 6, 2021

Delta Regulations and Voluntary Agreement

AGENDA

Delta

Regulation

Overview

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Current

Delta

Permits

Water

Quality

Control Plan

Update

Voluntary

Agreement

2DRAFT - Subject to Revision

MWA Act: “…the purpose of the agency shall be to do any and every act necessary to be done so that sufficient water may be available for any present or future beneficial use of the lands and inhabitants of the agency”

Strategic Plan Objective: Identify and maintain access to imported water supplies in sufficient quantities that, when combined with local supplies, meet Urban Water Management Planning Act requirements which support local communities’ land use plans.

Agency’s primary source of imported water = State Water Project (SWP)

Why do Delta regulations matter?


Factors Affecting SWP Water Supply

• Hydrologic Conditions

• SWP Water Demands• SWP contractor demands

• Senior water rights

• Regulatory Conditions• Upstream requirements

• Flood control

• Instream flows and temperatures for fisheries

• Delta requirements


The Delta

DRAFT - Subject to Revision 5

Current Permits and Agreements: The Delta

Delta Requirements Affecting SWP Water Supply

Water Rights Permits

• Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan

• Sets Objectives for beneficial uses

• Water Rights Decision D-1641

• Implements

Threatened and Endangered Species Take Management

• Federal ESA

• Biological Opinions (2)

• State ESA

• Incidental Take Permit

Current Permits and Agreements: The Delta

Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA)

• Biological Opinions (BiOps).

California Engendered Species Act (CESA)

• Incidental Take Permit (ITP)

State Board WQCP Update: Unimpaired Flow OR Voluntary Agreement

State Board

CESA

ESA

State Board

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State Water Resource Control Board (State Board)• Water Quality Control Plan (WQCP)

• Water Rights Permit D-1641

DRAFT - Subject to Revision

State Water Resource Control Board (State Board)• Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan (WQCP) and D-1641 Water

Rights Permit

• For protection of beneficial uses of the Bay-Delta (e.g., fish and wildlife, agriculture, M&I)

• State Board WQCP describes objectives for Sacramento, San Joaquin and Delta flow/water quality

• D-1641 assigns responsibilities for implementing the WQCP to the SWP and CVP

• Periodic review required; has not been updated since 2006

Current Permits and Agreements


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Chinook salmon(Spring and Winter Run)

Central Valley Steelhead

Green Sturgeon

CESADelta Smelt

Longfin smelt

Federal and State ESA


Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) Operations Criteria and Plan (OCAP) Biological Opinions (BiOps)

• For project effects on federally listed species (threatened or endangered) – two BiOps:• Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) BiOp for delta smelt

• National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) BiOp for salmonids

• Covers operations of the CVP and SWP

• History:• 2004 BiOps, litigation, 2007 Wanger Decision

• 2008/2009 BiOps (major impact on SWP water supply)

• Updated 2020 BiOps



California Endangered Species Act (CESA)• For project effects on state listed species (threatened or

endangered)

• Incidental Take Permit (ITP)

• Covers operation of SWP only

• History:• 2009 Consistency Determination for common species with ESA

• 2009 ITP for longfin smelt only (generally consistent with 2008/09 BiOps)

• 2020 ITP for all species (more restrictive than 2020 BiOps)



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Annual SWP Allocation Expected Delivery Capability

SWP Water Supply Uncertainty

Pelagic Organism Decline

Wanger Decision

2008/09 BiOps 2020 BiOps

and ITP

WQCP Update

?

2004 BiOp


WQCP Update

PHASE 1

San Joaquin River Basin

• Establish measures to protect water quality criteria for beneficial uses

PHASE 2

Sacramento River Basin & Delta

• Establish measures to protect water quality criteria for beneficial uses

PHASE 3

Implementation

• Assigns responsibility for implementation


WQCP Update

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▪ Current review/update of the 2006 WQCP began in 20092009

▪ Flow Criteria workshops and report2010

▪ Phase I - Scientific Basis Report2011

▪ Phase I - Draft CEQA document2013

▪ Phase II - Draft Scientific Basis Report2016

▪ Phase I - Revised Draft CEQA document2017

▪ Phase II - Final Scientific Basis Report2017

▪ Phase I – Final Environmental Document and State Board Adoption 2018DRAFT - Subject to Revision

State Board Staff Recommendation:

Unimpaired Flows

Unimpaired Flows

• Modeled flows that would have occurred under current land use and channel configuration without dams or diversions

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Sac River

Flow

Flow

Flow


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Annual SWP Allocation Expected Delivery Capability

SWP Water Supply Risk

Pelagic Organism Decline

Wanger Decision

2008/09 BiOps 2020 BiOps

and ITPWQCP

Update with Unimpaired

Flows

?

2004 BiOp


Ecosystem Overview: Key Stressors in Addition to Flow

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PredationLack of Habitat

Lack of FoodHigh Water Temperatures


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Sac River

High Water

Temperatures

Lack of HabitatLack of Food

Predation

Predator ManagementHabitat

Food WebFlow

Voluntary Agreement: Comprehensive Approach


Another Option• Water/landscape

interface• Holistic flow

approach to address species life history including habitat

Voluntary Agreement Concept

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Watershed-wide coordination

Stable regulatory framework (15-year term)

Combination of flow and non-flow actions

Includes $/acre-foot diverted contribution for non-flow actions

Early implementation actions

Science and habitatScience Program—transparent decision process

Structured decision

Immediate implementation upon State Broad approvalDRAFT - Subject to Revision

Voluntary Agreement Status

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▪ State presented Voluntary Agreement to Water Board2018

▪ State submitted Voluntary Agreement proposal to Water Board2019

▪ State presented Framework of Voluntary Agreement2020

▪ Water users work on refinements to the State’s Framework and discussions with State2021


Next Steps

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Continue engaging with SWC’s on Voluntary Agreement Development

Provide regular updates to the Board


Questions?


Board of Directors Meeting May 6, 2021 - Granicus

Documents

Transcript of Board of Directors Meeting May 6, 2021 - Granicus