Bay Delta Plan

The State Water Resources Control Board is updating the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan. This will be the first substantial revision since 1995, making it a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve conditions in the Bay-Delta and its tributaries.

This process will lead to new water quality standards for the South Delta and San Joaquin River, of which the Tuolumne is the largest tributary. The State Water Board is considering the need for higher flows down tributaries to the San Joaquin River to help meet downstream water quality standards.

We are advocating for higher unimpaired flows in the lower Tuolumne and San Joaquin Rivers, which would better protect threatened fish populations, like salmon and steelhead, as they make their way to and from the Tuolumne and the San Francisco Bay. Higher flows will also improve recreation on the river. Under current flows, the river is often too low to paddle in the summer, and boaters have to drag their boats over sand bars. Higher flows through the summer will improve this situation. And finally, higher flows will improve water quality. Currently, the river gets slow and hot and allows pollutants to concentrate. More water will keep the water cool and clean!

BAY DELTA PLAN CALLS FOR 40% OF UNIMPAIRED FLOW ON THE TUOLUMNE

After decades of degradation due to inadequate freshwater inflows, the State Water Resources Control Board may provide some relief to the San Francisco Bay-Delta. The Board voted 4-1 on December 12th 2018 to adopt the staff recommendation of 30-50% of unimpaired flow on the lower San Joaquin River and its three main tributaries between February and June, starting at 40%.  As the largest tributary to the San Joaquin River, the Tuolumne River will benefit greatly from this decision. Thanks to all who have supported our efforts to get to this point!

While this is a tremendous victory, we must bear in mind that this is only Phase 1.  Our campaign for a strong Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan is far from over.  Even though the best available science indicates that 60% unimpaired flow is necessary to fully protect fish and wildlife, a number of water agencies have sued the State to block the Plan. Meanwhile, the Water Board will continue to focus on Phase 2 of the Plan, which addresses the Sacramento River Basin and Delta outflow (i.e. how much water will flow through the Delta to the Bay, vs. getting diverted at the Delta pumps).

RECENT NEWS

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

RESOURCES

• California Adopts Landmark River Plan to Bring Back Salmon

• KQED Forum: Bay Delta Plan Pits San Francisco Against Environmentalists

• Survey of San Francisco Voters

• TRT Comment Letter on the SFPUC Alternative

VIDEOS

• Critiquing the SFPUC’s Misinformation Campaign (2018)

• Bay Delta Plan Overview (2016)

• Debunking the SFPUC’s Socioeconomics Study (2016)

EDITORIALS

• Water District lawsuit jeopardizes future projects

• San Joaquin water plan is good for the Delta and Valley

• Prioritizing San Francisco’s water supply

• If we’re smart, we can find enough water for all of us

• State Water Board plan would help restore the Tuolumne

• California farm exports help agriculture, but at what cost?

• Groundwater recharge – a solution for both farmers and fish

• Tuolumne measures are fine, but in-stream flows remain critical

• Better managing floods will help people, the river and wildlife

• California can revive San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary

• How to revive a dying delta

• We must work together to balance a limited resource – water

SELECTED ARTICLES

• Editorial” Some of California’s most stunning natural wonders are on the brink of oblivion

• Editorial: How California can chart new approach to water woes

• Editorial: SF must do better in sharing water

• SF supes urge backing off alliance with farmers, Trump on reviving rivers

• San Francisco leaders hate Trump enough they voted to limit the city’s water rather than do this

• Plan to revive rivers pits SF against California

• San Francisco and its PUC need to innovate on water use

• Letting California’s rivers run isn’t a ‘water grab’

• Defying water suppliers, Palo Alto Backs Bay-Delta Plan

• San Francisco is Fighting California’s Plan to Save Salmon. Wait. What?

• Does the Bay Area Have Enough Water for Economic Growth and Salmon?

• S.F. water agency opposes plan to save local salmon, cries ‘drought’

• Here’s how to move beyond the water wars and save the Delta

• San Francisco’s water conservation can flow to salmon

• A Cal Alum’s Recipe for More Tuolumne River Salmon: Add Water