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Lessons
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Protecting
and Restoring the San Francisco Bay-Delta
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San
Francisco Bay-Delta from space: Source NASA
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About
the Ecosystem
The
San Francisco Bay Estuary delivers water from two immense river
systems into the Pacific Ocean and drains approximately half of
California. The system encompasses 1,600 square miles of waterways,
wetlands, and bays; sustains rich communities of fish and wildlife;
and provides vital wintering locations for migrating waterfowl
and spawning areas for salmon.
The
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is situated towards the upper end
of the San Francisco Estuary at the union of the Sacramento and
San Joaquin rivers. The Delta includes 57 islands, 1,100 miles
of levees, and hundreds of thousands of acres of marshes, mudflats,
and farmland. It provides habitat for migratory and warm-water
fish and refuge for aquatic birds and waterfowl.
Together,
the San Francisco Bay Estuary and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
form the west coast's largest estuary, draining a watershed of
more than 61,000 square miles. The estuary is home to the nation's
fourth largest metropolitan region; provides drinking water to
22 million residents; offers irrigation to 4.5 million acres of
farmland; and supports 80 percent of the state's commercial salmon
fishery.
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Ecosystem
Problems
Prior
to the 1848 Gold Rush, the San Francisco Bay-Delta provided
passage for water exiting to the ocean at rate of 69 million
acre-feet. Today, the region is significantly altered through
multiple over-use and construction projects that have resulted
in a number of interrelated environmental problems.
Major
problems in the ecosystem include:
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Competing
demands for ecosystem resources;
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Inadequate
water quality due to the discharge of pollutants such as pesticides,
fertilizers, oil and grease, metals, nutrients, and sediments
from farms, ranches, and cities;
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Elimination
or alteration of over 88 percent of the Estuary's wetlands;
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Destruction
and fragmentation of riparian forest;
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Loss
of low-salinity habitat and alteration of aquatic habitats
related to water supply system construction and facilities;
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Declining
fish and wildlife populations, including some species now
listed as endangered;
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An
unacceptably high risk of levee breaches; and
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Uncertain
and inadequate water supplies, and in some cases droughts.
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Ecosystem
Users
Residents
With a population of 7 million people, the San Francisco Bay-Delta
is home to the nation's fourth largest metropolitan region. During
the next two decades, it is estimated the region will attract
over one million new residents.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the number one industry in the San Francisco Delta,
producing gross annual sales of more than $500 million. The region
encompasses over 1.8 million acres of intensive agricultural land
and over 3.8 million acres of other agricultural and rural areas.
Diversions by Delta farmers and export pumps remove about seven
million acre-feet of water annually. The main crops grown in the
region include corn, other grains, hay, sugar beets, alfalfa,
tomatoes, asparagus, fruit, safflower, and pasture.
Water
distribution
The Delta is the hub of California's water distribution system,
providing almost 55 percent of the state's managed freshwater
supply, including drinking water to 22 million residents. The
water is distributed through canals and aqueducts to Stockton,
Sacramento, San Francisco, and East Bay municipalities; to industrial
users in the Bay Area; to the agriculture-rich San Joaquin Valley;
and to Southern California residents.
Fisheries
The San Francisco Bay-Delta accounts for 80 percent of the state's
commercial salmon fisheries. The region is home to over 130 species
of fish, including several endangered and threatened species.
Shipping
Estuary waterways support six major ports, serving over 4,000
commercial vessels every year, as well as 21 naval bases.
Industry
Many industries use the Bay-Delta's water for cooling, cleaning,
and other processes, including chemical, metal finishing, paper
industries, and petroleum refineries. Flows through the watershed
also sustain electric powerhouses at over 700 locations. There
are more than 7,000 water right holders, with some 14,000 permits
and licenses to remove water in the Bay-Delta.
Recreation
The Bay-Delta supports over 12 million user-days of recreation
annually, from boating and water-skiing to hunting and sport fishing.
Thousands of people also visit the area for sight-seeing and bird
watching. The San Francisco Bay Estuary alone supports 290 shoreline
parks, 200 duck clubs, 300 marinas, and approximately 500,000
recreational boaters.
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Ecosystem
Map
Map
of the San Francisco Bay Delta courtesy of CALFED Bay-Delta
Program
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Ecosystem
Alteration
Below
is a timeline of major events and legislative actions that have
contributed to the large-scale alteration of the San Francisco
Bay-Delta:
Mexican-American
War, 1846
Migratory pressure by settlers of many northern Mexican provinces,
and political maneuverings by the U.S., sparked the Mexican-American
War. The U.S. defeated Mexico in 1848. The treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
gave Mexico's northern states, including California, to the
U.S. for $10 million.
State
of California, 1850
California became a state in 1850, and the first California
Legislature immediately enacted laws to deal with the state's
water. The Legislature adopted English Common Law's riparian
rights, giving owners of land bordering streams or bodies of
water the right to a reasonable amount of that water. The laws
severely restricted the number of landholders who have access
to California's water supply.
Discovery
of gold, 1848-1860
Discovery of gold brought a flood of immigrants to the Sierra
Nevada and Central Valley, many of whom later settled in San
Francisco. Hydraulic gold mining in the Sierra Nevada caused
enormous damage to the Delta. The use of high-pressure water
to wash away hillsides caused vast amounts of debris and sediment
to be swept downstream, altering the navigability of river channels,
hindering shipping activities, exacerbating flooding, and causing
water quality problems.
Agricultural
development, 1860s-1900
As gold mining declines, Central Valley farming became California's
economic base. Levees converted almost 60 percent of Delta wetlands
to agriculture. Local land owners constructed the levees to
hold back water and create islands of dry land to be used for
farming. Delta soil began to sink or erode at the rate of about
three inches per year.
Water
projects, 1870s
Ideas to transfer excess water from the Sacramento River to
the often dry San Joaquin Valley began to gather momentum. The
federal government also became interested in California's water
issues after a survey was completed of the region that reported
back to President Ulysses Grant on the need for creation of
a system of canals to complete an exchange of water from the
Sacramento to the San Joaquin Valley.
Navigational
dredging, late 1890's
Dredging began in many of the Bay and Delta shipping channels
to maintain shipping access. Much of the dredged material was
used to build levees to protect farmland from flooding and to
fill wetlands to create new fields.
State
Reclamation Board, 1911
California created the State Reclamation Board, authorizing
it to spend $33 million on a flood control project in the Central
Valley.
Proposal
to build storage reservoirs, 1919
In a letter to California Governor William Stephens, U.S. Geological
Survey engineer Colonel Robert Bradford Marshall proposed a
plan to build storage reservoirs along the Sacramento River
system, and to transfer water from the Sacramento Valley to
the San Joaquin Valley via two large canals lying on both sides
of the Sacramento River.
Interest
in a state water plan, 1921
California's legislature asserted interest in a comprehensive
state water plan, directing the State Engineer to develop a
plan to accomplish conservation, flood control, storage, distribution,
and uses for all California water, and to estimate total costs
for the reservoirs, dams, and any other facilities needed to
institute the state water plan.
State
water plan reports, 1923-1932
Further legislation and appropriations raised the cost of a
comprehensive state water plan to $1 million dollars. A dozen
additional reports were produced detailing California's water
flow, drought conditions, flood control, and irrigation issues.
Combined, the reports helped create a state water plan.
Salinity
control, 1924-1926
Salinity control, especially in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River
Delta, became a major concern for northern California water
users. The Delta frequently experienced salinity intrusion,
causing problems for Antioch and Pittsburg. Unless water passed
Antioch at a minimum of 3,300 second-feet, salt water from San
Francisco Bay moved during high tide into Suisun Bay and the
Delta, making the water unusable for corps and industry. In
1924, the water reached its lowest recorded stream flow, and
the maximum salt water content at Pittsburg climbed to 65 percent.
In 1926, Pittsburg and Antioch stopped using water from Suisun
Bay for crops and industry.
State
water plan, 1930-1933
The state water plan called for construction of a 420 foot dam
at Kennett to maintain a regular flow to Antioch, keeping salt
water out of Suisun Bay. The California Legislature authorized
the future Central Valley Project in 1933, with funding provided
by the sale of "revenue" bonds not to exceed $70 million.
State
Central Valley Project, 1933
Even with authorized revenue bonds, California was unable to
finance the Central Valley Project. The state reported to the
Bureau of Reclamation on the upper San Joaquin Relief Project
that the Kennett Reservoir was the cornerstone for the entire
Central Valley Project, and it subsequently applied to the Federal
Emergency Administration of Public Works for grants and loans.
Federal
Central Valley Project, 1934
The Committee on Rivers and Harbors of the House of Representatives
recommended $12 million of federal money for construction of
Kennett Dam because of the national benefits to navigation and
flood control on the Sacramento River. After reviewing the investigations,
the California Joint Federal-State Water Resources Commission,
the U.S. Senate Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, the
Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers approved
and recommended the plan.
Rivers
and Harbors Act of 1935
The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935 gave the federal government
control over the Central Valley Project, and authorized the
Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction of the Project's
initial features.
Emergency
Relief Appropriations Act of 1935
The Emergency Relief Appropriations Act of 1935 authorized expenditures
of funds for various types of public works projects, including
water conservation and irrigation. The Central Valley Project,
a series of dams, reservoirs and canals in the San Joaquin Valley,
was first established under this authority, receiving $4.2 million
in funding.
Central
Valley Project authorization, 1935
Construction of the Central Valley Project was delayed due to
problems over executive branch findings and approval of feasibility.
Active participation by the Bureau of Reclamation resulted in
Harold Ickes, Secretary of the Interior, sending the project's
feasibility report to President Roosevelt in November of 1935.
Roosevelt approved the Central Valley Project, including Kennett
(Shasta), Friant, and Contra Costa (Delta) Divisions in December
of 1935.
Flood
Control Act of 1936
The Flood Control Act of 1936 formally authorized funds for
the Central Valley Project
Rivers
and Harbors Act of 1937
The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1937 re-authorized the Central
Valley Project, providing it with $12 million. The Act listed
improvement of navigation, regulation, and flood control of
the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers as the first priorities
of the Central Valley Project. The Bureau of Reclamation's primary
purpose, supplying water for irrigation and domestic use, followed
these priorities, with power generation the last priority on
the list.
Construction
of the Central Valley Project, 1938
Construction of the Central Valley Project began in 1938 and
continued to gain more attention from federal officials.
Central
Valley Project statute revisions, 1940
Revisions to the Central Valley Project statute expanded the
project's purpose to include navigation improvements, flood
control, and energy development purposes.
Flood
Control Act of 1944
The Flood Control Act of 1944 authorized the Army Corps of Engineers
to build several dams, some of which become integrated into
the Central Valley Project.
Central
Valley Project, 1940s - 1960s
The Central Valley Project continued through the late 1940s
and 1950s. The government authorized new divisions of the project,
with economic feasibility the only necessary criteria. By the
end of the 1960's the project became a conglomeration of various
federal and state government agencies.
Central
Valley Project statute revisions, 1949-1950
Further revisions to the Central Valley Project statute included
the Folsom dam and reservoir. The statute was again reauthorized
in 1950, with the project's purpose expanded to include navigation
improvements, regulating the flow of the San Joaquin and Sacramento
Rivers, flood control, irrigation, and electric power.
Urban
development, 1950s-1970s
As California's industrial economy expanded, urban uses consumed
agricultural land. San Francisco's suburbs boomed following
a huge growth in population after World War II. Increasing automobile
ownership allowed commuting from the growing residential suburbs.
Many suburbs also became centers of employment as well as housing,
causing a shift in commuter patterns. The intensified development
increased the region's demands for water.
Folsom
Dam, 1956
The Army Corps of Engineers completed Folsom Dam, turning over
operation and maintenance to the Bureau of Reclamation.
California
State Water Plan, 1957
California published its State Water Plan in 1957, proposing
immediate construction of a project on the Feather River. The
Feather River marked the inauguration of the California State
Water Project, and was strongly supported by California Governor
Edmund Brown who realized the seriousness of California's water
situation. Unlike the Central Valley Project, which only compelled
repayment for its irrigation projects, the State Water Project
required water users to pay all project costs for the $1.75
billion in bonds.
Central
Valley Project, 1960s-1970s
Congress integrated more Army Corps of Engineers projects into
the Central Valley Project during the 1960s and 1970s. The Army
Corps of Engineers continued to operate and maintain several
dams in the Central Valley, often holding surplus water in the
dams. As a result, the Bureau of Reclamation drew up a contract
for releasing the surplus water for irrigation, citing that
the Army Corps specialized in flood control, not irrigation
water supply.
New Melones
Dam and Powerplant, 1966-1979
The Army Corps of Engineers built the New Melones Dam and Powerplant
on the Stanislaus River. Control of the dam was turned over
to the Bureau of Reclamation in 1979. The dam primarily operated
as a flood control and power facility, but the Bureau of Reclamation
had contracts to supply water to two water districts in the
area.
Federal
and state water projects, 1970s
Together the federal and state water projects formed the world's
largest system of dams, canals, and reservoirs, providing California
with its first dependable source of water for farms, industry,
and towns statewide. The projects also diverted large amounts
of freshwater away from the Delta, and drastically altered the
natural drainage pattern of the Central Valley, resulting in
almost no freshwater flow in the San Joaquin from the Sierra
down to the Delta.
Development,
1975-1990
Development expanded away from urban centers and into outlying
areas. The Bay Area became a center for high-tech industry.
Housing costs and congestion soared. Drought and competing water
demands adversely affected the Bay's estuary.
Drought,
1987-1992
A five-year drought demonstrated the state's vulnerability to
water shortages, and exacerbated the state's conflicts over
water uses.
Salmon
populations, 1990
Following a peak in the population of winter-run Chinook salmon
in 1969, numbers began to steadily decline. By 1990, the salmon
population dropped to less than 5 percent of its 1969 total.
The situation elicited outcries against the Central Valley Project
from environmentalists and commercial fishermen.
Deteriorating
levees, 1990s
By the 1990s, many Delta levees were in dire need of repair
and posed considerable flood danger. In response to these concerns,
some levees had been rip-rapped, whereby natural vegetation
on the water side was cleared and replaced with rocks and other
solid materials. While rip-rapping helped stabilize levees,
it also reduced fish and wildlife habitat area.
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History
to Restoration Actions (1913-1994)
Below
is a timeline of restoration-related events and activities prior
to the establishment of a large-scale restoration program in
the San Francisco Bay-Delta:
Water
Commission Act, California Legislature, 1913
The Legislature enacted the Water Commission Act, creating the
State Water Commission and providing a statutory procedure to
be followed in the management of unappropriated water flowing
in any natural channel for useful and beneficial purposes.
Constitutional
amendment, 1928
California voters passed a constitutional amendment declaring
that users of the state's water resources" shall put water
to the highest beneficial use possible and shall not waste water
or use it unreasonably."
Public
Law 674 of 1954
Public Law 674 of 1954 declared use of water for fish and wildlife
as a Central Valley Project purpose, in addition to all other
previously stated purposes. It also provided authority and conditions
for delivery of water to the Grasslands areas of the San Joaquin
Valley for waterfowl purposes as stipulated in a 1950 Department
of Interior report entitled "Waterfowl Conservation in
the Lower San Joaquin Valley, Its Relationship to the Grasslands
and the Central Valley Project."
Central
Valley Project, 1960s-1970s
The 1960s marked the end of the era of large dam building, and
resulted in the Central Valley Project being caught in a political
and economic whirlpool. Environmental concerns began to take
shape. The signing of the Endangered Species Act in 1973 by
President Nixon mandated criteria for listing endangered species
and protecting them from harm by federal agencies or private
concerns. The Central Valley Project felt the consequences of
the Endangered Species Act because the project featured impacts
on migratory salmon.
Porter-Cologne
Water Quality Control Act, California Legislature, 1969
The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act of 1969 merged
the State Water Quality Control Board and the State Water Rights
Board to form the State Water Resources Control Board. The new
Board was charged with preserving and enhancing all beneficial
uses of the state's immensely complex waterscape. The Act also
provided framework within which growth of the state's economy
can be managed in a manner that enhances rather than desecrates
the environment and water resources.
Clean
Water Act of 1972
The Clean Water Act of 1972 required the states or the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency to set standards for surface
water quality, mandate sewage treatment, and regulate wastewater
discharges into the nation's surface waters.
Public
Law 95-616 of 1978
Public Law 95-616 of 1978 amended the 1954 Act to guarantee
the delivery of 3,000 acre-feet of water each fall and 4,000
acre-feet of water each summer, when available, to the Grasslands
areas of the San Joaquin Valley, and authorized construction
of the water delivery system to deliver water to federal waterfowl
refuges in the Central Valley.
State
Court of Appeals, 1986
Following litigation, the State Court of Appeals directed the
State Water Resources Control Board to take a global view of
all demands on the state's water and to provide reasonable protection
for all beneficial uses. The court interpreted California statutes
as giving the Board broad power to establish water quality standards.
The court also found that in order to achieve those standards,
existing statutes must authorize the Board to modify the water
rights permits of all upstream diverters.
Bay-Delta
hearings, 1987
The State Water Resources Control Board delayed making substantial
changes to existing water quality standards, and institutes
a series of Bay-Delta hearings. Slow progress spurred legislative
proposals at both the state and federal levels.
San Francisco
Bay Estuary Program, 1987
Congress established the San Francisco Bay Estuary Project as
a cooperative federal/state/local program under the National
Estuary Program to protect and improve the water quality and
natural resources of the estuary. In addition to spearheading
and participating in a wide variety of projects, the Estuary
Program also served as a clearinghouse for information on the
Bay-Delta ecosystem, including topics such as wetlands, wildlife,
aquatic resources and land use. The project was financed by
federal appropriations under the Clean Water Act and matching
funds from the state and local entities.
Delta
Flood Protection Act, state of California, 1988
The California state legislature passed the Delta Flood Protection
Act, allocating $120 million over a ten-year period to help
stabilize and strengthen Delta levees. However, considerably
more funds were needed to address all levee-related problems.
Salmon
populations, 1990s
The Bureau of Reclamation instituted policies to alleviate
the impact of the declining salmon population. Though the populations
gained in 1992 and 1993, numbers remained low compared to the
population of 1969.
San Joaquin
Valley Drainage Program Management Plan, 1990
The San Joaquin Valley Drainage Program issued a Management
Plan for Agricultural Subsurface Drainage and Related Problems
on the Westside San Joaquin Valley. In 1991, a strategy was
developed for implementation of the management plan over a five-year
period. Management measures identified in the plan included
source control, drainage reuse, evaporation systems, and land
retirement.
U.S Environmental
Protection Agency concern, 1991
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expressed serious concern
about the standards set in a Salinity Plan developed by the
State Water Resources Control Board's in 1991. If the U.S Environmental
Protection Agency disapproved the standards, the Clean Water
Act required the agency to promulgate federal standards.
Central
Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992
The Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992 turned the
Central Valley Project in a new direction. Authorized as part
of the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act
of 1992, it was considered a victory for environmentalists.
The Act reallocated 800,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project
water from Valley farmers toward the restoration of Central
Valley fisheries; included provisions to protect, restore, and
enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats in the Central
Valley and Trinity River basins with objectives addressing the
impacts of the Central Valley Project on fish and wildlife resources
and achieving a reasonable balance among competing water uses;
and limited the renewal of agricultural water contracts to 25
years. Implementation of the Act however, was slowed by litigation.
Demonstration
projects for watershed protection, 1992
The San Francisco Estuary Program established a system of demonstration
projects for watershed protection intended to couple environmental
protection with economic prosperity. The projects drew from
scientists, regulators, farmers, and citizens, and included
strategies for accommodating human actions while improving resource
protection.
California
Legislation, 1992
California's Governor Wilson recognized the importance of the
Delta estuary in his water policy, calling for both short-term
and long-term solutions for healing the "broken Delta."
The governor established the Water Policy Council and Bay Delta
Oversight Council to reconcile and accommodate the numerous
stakeholders deriving benefit from the San Francisco Bay-Delta
Estuary.
Central
Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992
The Central Valley Project Improvement Act called for approximately
15 percent of the federal water project's annual yield to be
dedicated to restoration of fisheries and wetlands, including
the development of a program that will double the natural production
of anadromous fish by 2002, based on the fish populations from
1967-1991. It also provided greater opportunity for water transfers
between water contractors and willing buyers.
Blueprint
for ecosystem restoration, 1993
A five-year planning process with a blueprint for ecosystem
restoration of the estuary was completed by San Francisco Estuary
Program participants. Signed by the Governor of California and
the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
and termed the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan,
the plan's implementation was the responsibility of a broad-based
committee, with primary leadership from the San Francisco Bay
Regional Water Quality Control Board. The plan also called for
comprehensive environmental monitoring programs under a Regional
Monitoring Strategy and the creation of the San Francisco Estuary
Institute to help coordinate monitoring efforts.
Delta
Protection Commission, 1993
State law established the Delta Protection Commission. Comprised
of a 19-member board that includes state and local officials
from the five Delta counties, the Commission's mission was to
protect the Delta's resources by adopting land use guidelines
that preserve agriculture, wildlife habitat, and recreational
users' interests in the Delta area.
San Francisco
Institute established, 1994
The San Francisco Estuary Institute was founded as a non-profit
organization to foster the development of the scientific understanding
needed to protect and enhance the San Francisco Estuary. Governed
by a Board of Directors composed of Bay Area scientists, environmentalists,
regulators, local governments, and industries, the Institute
was charged with implementing and enhancing the success of the
Regional Monitoring Strategy to characterize ecosystem process
and to measure the performance of the Comprehensive Conservation
and Management Plan.
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Recent
Restoration Activities (1994-present)
Below
is a timeline of events establishing and implementing restoration
activities in the San Francisco Bay-Delta since 1994:
State-Federal
Framework Agreement, 1994
Four federal agencies (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service,
and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) and the Governor's Water Policy
Council of the state of California signed a "Framework
Agreement" to establish a comprehensive package of actions
under the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and Central
Valley Improvement Act for the management of the Bay-Delta.
Under the Agreement, the state and federal agencies would work
toward adoption of mutually acceptable water quality standards,
coordinated implementation of the Endangered Species Act requirements
and water project operations, and development of a long-term
planning process for water management in California. The Framework
Agreement served as the basis for the CALFED Bay-Delta Program.
Bay-Delta
Accord, 1994
Consistent with the Framework Agreement, state and federal agencies,
in consultation with agricultural, environmental and urban stakeholders,
signed the Bay-Delta Accord. Developed by stakeholders, the
Accord set new Bay-Delta water standards, and covered a wide
range of issues, including salinity standards, flow requirements,
and species protection. The Accord was unique in that it represented
the first time that water interests were willing to compromise
to reach what most believe was a fair and balanced accord. The
Accord also called for the creation of a federal-state program
to manage a long-term restoration program for the Bay-Delta.
The Accord also provided for the program's planning and administrative
costs to be split evenly between the state and federal government.
CALFED
Bay-Delta Program, 1994
Pursuant to the Bay-Delta Accord, the CALFED Bay-Delta Program
was administratively created as a consortium of state and federal
agencies that had regulatory authority over water and resource
management responsibilities in the Bay-Delta region. The CALFED
Bay-Delta Program was charged with developing a long-term solution
to the problems of the Bay-Delta.
Bay-Delta
Water Quality Control Plan, 1995
After holding public hearings and soliciting comments on the
Bay-Delta Accord water standards, the State Water Resources
Control Board adopted the 1995 Bay-Delta Water Quality Control
Plan, which contained many of the provisions of the Bay-Delta
Accord.
Proposition
204 of 1996, a $2 billion bond focused on the San Francisco
Bay-Delta
In 1996, voters approved Proposition 204 which provided a total
$430 million in general obligation bonds to pay a portion of
the costs needed for CALFED Bay-Delta programs.
California
Bay-Delta Environmental Enhancement Act of 1996
Proposition 204 was ratified through passage in state legislature
of the California Bay-Delta Environmental Enhancement Act of
1996. The Act authorized a total of $430 million over three
years for ecosystem restoration activities in the Bay-Delta
region.
The Bay-Delta
Accord extended, 1997-1998
The Bay-Delta Accord was extended in 1997 for one year, and
again in 1998 to allow the CALFED Program to continue working
with stakeholders to develop a long-term solution for problems
in the Bay-Delta ecosystem.
Draft
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact
Report and Preferred Alternative, 1999
Lead CALFED agencies released a draft Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report and Preferred
Alternative as part of its analysis of potential Bay-Delta system
solutions in 1999.
Final
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact
Report and Preferred Alternative, 2000
Following public comment, review and revision, lead CALFED agencies
released the final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report and Preferred Alternative in 2000
as part of its analysis of potential Bay-Delta system solutions.
This document identified - on a broad or "programmatic"
level - potential impacts associated with the three alternatives
being considered by the program. The alternatives were similar
in that each comprehensively addressed the four main problems
with the Bay-Delta system: ecosystem degradation, water supply
reliability, water quality, and levee system integrity. The
main difference among the alternatives was how each would transport
and store water within the Bay-Delta system.
National
Marine Fisheries Service's Biological Opinion, 2000
The National Marine Fisheries Service released its biological
opinion for the implementation phase of the CALFED Bay-Delta
Program. The opinion was based on the Service's review of the
proposed CALFED Bay-Delta Program, and its effects on the federally
endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, threatened
Central Valley steelhead, and threatened Central Valley spring-run
Chinook salmon and their designated critical habitat in accordance
with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.
The opinion found that implementation of the CALFED Bay-Delta
Program was not likely to jeopardize the continued existence
of the species, or result in the destruction or adverse modification
of designated critical habitat for these species.
CALFED
Bay-Delta Program Multi-Species Conservation Strategy, 2000
The CALFED Bay-Delta Program Multi-Species Conservation Strategy
was developed for the Program in accordance with the Endangered
Species Act, California's Endangered Species Act and California's
Natural Community Conservation Planning Act. The Multi-Species
Conservation Strategy was a comprehensive programmatic strategy
for the conservation of numerous species of fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitat based on key program elements, such
as the Program's Ecosystem Restoration Program and the Environmental
Water Account. Implementation of the Multi-Species Conservation
Strategy was intended to ensure that entities implementing Program
actions would satisfy the requirements of the Endangered Species
Act, California's Endangered Species Act, and California's Natural
Community Conservation Planning Act.
CALFED
Bay-Delta Program Action Plan, 2000
Governor Grey Davis and U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbit
released the CALFED Bay-Delta Program Action Plan. This framework
document was the result of negotiations between high level state
and federal officials.
Record
of Decision, 2000
The CALFED Bay-Delta Program issued a Programmatic Record of
Decision setting forth a 30-year plan to address ecosystem health
and water supply reliability problems in the Bay-Delta. The
Record of Decision, published for the CALFED Bay-Delta Final
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Report, represented
the culmination of the National Environmental Policy Act and
the California Environmental Quality Act processes. The document
laid out specific actions and investments to meet program goals
and described a strategy for implementing the plan. The program
addressed four interrelated, interdependent resource management
objectives concurrently: water supply reliability; water quality;
ecosystem restoration; and levee system integrity. The program's
four objectives were further addressed through 11 major program
elements as a way of sustaining the CALFED Plan's balanced and
comprehensive approach.
Proposition
13 of 2000
Adopted by voters in 2000 to provide additional funding for
environmental restoration in the Bay-Delta, Proposition 13 provided
approximately $250 million specifically to carrying out the
CALFED Bay-Delta Program through the sale of general obligation
bonds.
California
Bay-Delta Public Advisory Committee, 2001
The CALFED Bay-Delta Program established the California Bay-Delta
Public Advisory Committee. The 30-member committee was charged
with advising state and federal Bay-Delta agencies on all aspects
of program implementation. With representation from an array
of environmental, water, tribal and civic interest groups, the
committee provided a key link among CALFED agencies, stakeholders
and the public. Nine subcommittees provided oversight and input
on specific program areas such as environmental justice and
water use efficiency.
Federal
authorization, 2001-2003
Although the CALFED Bay-Delta Program received adequate state
and federal funding during its developmental phases, in order
for the program to be viable during the long-term implementation
phase, it had to receive annual federal funding to match state
dollars. This match could only be achieved by Congress formally
reauthorizing the CALFED Bay-Delta Program and appropriating
Program funding. To provide for this authorization and funding,
three bills were introduced in Congress during 2001 - two in
the House and one in the Senate. In 2002, another House Democratic
bill was introduced.
Proposition
50, the Clean Water and Coastal Protection Bond of 2002
California voters approved proposition 50, authorizing $3,440,000,000
general obligation bonds, to be repaid from the state's General
Fund, to fund a variety of water projects, including specified
CALFED Bay-Delta Program projects ($825 million); grants and
loans to reduce Colorado River water use; purchasing, protecting,
and restoring coastal wetlands near urban areas; competitive
grants for water management and water quality improvement projects;
development of river parkways; improved security for state,
local and regional water systems; and grants for desalination
and drinking water disinfecting projects.
California
Bay-Delta Act, California Legislature, 2003
California Legislature enacted the California Bay-Delta Act
of 2003, creating the California Bay-Delta Authority as the
new governance structure to oversee implementation of the Bay-Delta
Program (formerly known as CALFED). The Act charged the California
Bay-Delta Authority to oversee the 23 state and federal agencies
working cooperatively through the CALFED Bay-Delta Program to
improve the quality and reliability of California's water supplies
while restoring the Bay-Delta ecosystem. The Act also charged
the Authority with providing accountability, ensuring balanced
implementation, tracking and assessing program progress, using
sound science, assuring public involvement and outreach, and
coordinating and integrating related government programs.
Biological
Opinion for delta smelt, 2004
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a non-jeopardy biological
opinion with regard to impacts on the threatened delta smelt
of the proposed revised operations of the Central Valley Project
and the State Water Project.
House
passes CALFED Bay-Delta Authorization Act, 2004
The House of Representatives passed the CALFED Bay-Delta Authorization
Act (H.R. 2828) on voice vote in July of 2004. The bill authorized
$389 million over four years to help implement the Bay-Delta
Program, and it provided for federal agency participation in
the California Bay-Delta Authority.
Senate
Bay-Delta Authorization, 2004
Senators unanimously passed Senator Dianne Feinstein's bill
to reauthorize the Bay-Delta Program, authorizing $389 million
over four years to help implement the CALFED Bay-Delta Program
and providing for federal agency participation in the California
Bay-Delta Authority.
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Restoration
Plan
Development
of the long-term comprehensive plan for the San Francisco Bay-Delta
has been a joint state-federal process carried out under the
policy direction of the Bay-Delta agencies. The public also
has played a critical role in the plan's development with a
group of more than 30 citizen-advisor stakeholders charted under
the Federal Advisory Committee Act as the Bay-Delta Advisory
Council.
To achieve
broad agreement on long-term solutions, the Bay-Delta Program
is following a three-phase process:
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Phase
I - Development of a clear definition of the problems
to be addressed and a range of solution alternatives to overcome
them. This Phase was concluded in 1996 following development
of a range of alternatives for achieving long-term solutions
to the problems of the Bay-Delta Estuary.
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Phase
II - Compliance with National Environmental Protection
Act and California Environmental Quality Act: This phase was
achieved by conducting a comprehensive programmatic environmental
review process. A draft programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement and Environmental Impact Report identifying three
draft alternatives and program plans was released in March
1998. This was followed by a public comment period. In June
1999, Bay-Delta agencies again released a second draft programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report
followed by a comment period. The final programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report was released
July 2000, followed by the Record of Decision in August 2000.
The ROD determined the roles and responsibilities of each
participating agency, set goals and identified 11 programs
to be pursued, and included an estimate of the program's cost
for the first seven years, projected to total $8.5 billion.
The ROD also included a schedule that allocated responsibility
for paying the $8.5 billion of projected costs among federal
($2.4 billion), state ($2.5 billion), and local/private ($2.6
billion) sources. $960 million is still unallocated.
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Phase
III - Implementation of the preferred alternative - Currently
underway and following issuance of the ROD, Bay-Delta agencies
have proceeded to undertake Stage 1 of implementation. This
task covers the first seven years of a 30-year program and
builds the foundation for long-term actions (stage 2 of implementation).
The objectives
of the Bay-Delta Program are to:
-
Provide
good water quality for all beneficial uses;
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Improve
and increase aquatic and terrestrial habitats and improve
ecological functions in the Bay-Delta to support sustainable
populations of diverse and valuable plant and animal species;
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Reduce
the mismatch between the Bay-Delta water supplies and current
and projected beneficial uses dependent on the Bay-Delta system;
and
-
Reduce
the risk to land use and associated economic activities, water
supply, infrastructure, and the ecosystem from catastrophic
breaching of Delta levees
The restoration
plan components include:
During implementation,
the Bay-Delta Program will incorporate both a high level of
stakeholder participation and a comprehensive and extensive
science-based adaptive management process. To this end, the
program provides for comprehensive monitoring and data collection,
and the continuous and comprehensive scientific review of actions
and decisions. Science-based decision making will be assessed
by integration in the program of an independent board of scientific
experts. In addition, the program has hired an expert to coordinate
the science effort, including related scientific studies conducted
by Bay-Delta agencies. Site-specific, detailed environmental
review also will occur during Phase III prior to the implementation
of each proposed action. In addition, the Bay-Delta Program's
progress will be independently reviewed annually by the Bay-Delta
Policy Group. Overall, implementation of the Bay-Delta Program
is expected to take 30 years.
Bay-Delta
Organizational Chart
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Key
players
Federal
Bureau of Reclamation
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Geological Survey
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Natural Resources Conservation Science
U.S. Forest Service
National Marine Fisheries Service
Western Area Power Administration
State
Department of Water Resources
Department of Fish and Game
The Reclamation Board
Delta Protection Commission
Department of Conservation
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
State Water Resources Control Board
Department of Health Services
Department of Food and Agriculture
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Funding
To
date, more than $2.5 billion in state and $845 million in federal
funds have been spent on Bay-Delta restoration programs.
State
funding history for the Bay-Delta Program
Federal
funding history for the Bay-Delta Program (in millions of dollars)
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Achieving
Progress
To
date, CALFED has reached several of the milestones identified
in its Record of Decision, particularly in the area of ecosystem
restoration. Yet progress has been stalled on a number of elements
critical to water supply improvements. Several important programs
- including surface water storage and water quality - are also
behind schedule. These concerns and others, including CALFED
governance issues, will have to be addressed if CALFED is to
receive continued support from its stakeholders.
Funding
is another key concern of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program. Although
the program received adequate state and federal funding during
its developmental phases (Phase I and II), in order for the
program to be viable during its long-term implementation phase
(Phase III) it must receive annual federal funding to match
state dollars. In 2004, Congress formally reauthorized the Bay-Delta
Program, authorizing $389 million over four years to help implement
the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, and providing for federal agency
participation in the California Bay-Delta Authority. However,
it is yet to be determined if Congress will appropriate the
authorized program funding levels.
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