2019 Technical Memorandum Regarding the Accounting of San Joaquin River Spring-run Chinook Salmon at the Central Valley Project and State Water Project Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Fish Collection Facilities

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) | January 15th, 2019

2020 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | February 21st, 2020

Improving air quality and creating habitat at the Salton Sea are key priorities for Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency. The Sea’s continu

Improving air quality and creating habitat at the Salton Sea are key priorities for Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency. The Sea’s continuing decline in elevation and resulting exposure of lakebed negatively impact surrounding communities and reduce remaining habitat for fish and wildlife. The California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (together, the State Team) are focused on implementing the Salton Sea Management Program’s (SSMP’s) 10-Year Plan to improve conditions by constructing 30,000 acres of habitat and dust suppression projects around the Sea.

2020 Review Water Quality Standards for Salinity Colorado River System

Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (CRBSCF) | October 1st, 2020

This document is a review of the water quality standards for salinity in the Colorado River. Section 303 of the Clean Water Act amendments to the Federal Water Pollution

This document is a review of the water quality standards for salinity in the Colorado River. Section 303 of the Clean Water Act amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act require that water quality standards are reviewed every three years. Accordingly, the seven-state Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum has reviewed the existing state-adopted and EPA-approved water quality standards for salinity consisting of numeric criteria and a Plan of Implementation. Upon adoption by the Forum, this Review will be submitted to the governors of each of the Basin States for inclusion in their state water quality standards.

2020 Urban Water Management Plan

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) | June 7th, 2021

Metropolitan’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) has been prepared in compliance with the California Water Code (CWC). This Executive Summary satisfies the requir

Metropolitan’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) has been prepared in compliance with the California Water Code (CWC). This Executive Summary satisfies the requirement of CWC Section 10630.5 to include a simple lay description of information necessary to provide a general understanding of the plan, including a description of Metropolitan’s reliable water, as well as its needs, strategies, and potential challenges for the foreseeable future. This plan provides an assessment of Metropolitan’s water service reliability, describes and evaluates sources of water supply, efficient uses of water, demand management measures, implementation strategy and schedule, and other relevant information and programs. In addition to the water reliability assessments, the plan includes an evaluation of frequent and severe periods of droughts, as described in the Drought Risk Assessment, and the preparation and adoption of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP).

2020 Water Resilience Portfolio (draft)

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | January 2nd, 2020

2020-2022 Integrated Report For Clean Water Act Sections 303(D) And 305(B)

State of California | February 16th, 2022

2021 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program

California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) | March 31st, 2021

The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) made progress in 2020 toward reducing exposed lakebed and creating habitat at the Salton Sea (Sea). Even amid challenges posed by

The Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP) made progress in 2020 toward reducing exposed lakebed and creating habitat at the Salton Sea (Sea). Even amid challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, delivering projects that improve conditions for residents as well as wildlife at the Sea remains a key priority for the Newsom Administration. The SSMP worked closely with local, State, Tribal and federal partners to advance important work in 2020 and is poised to build on that momentum in 2021.

2021 Drinking Water Needs Assessment

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | April 9th, 2021

In 2016, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) adopted a Human Right to Water Resolution making the Human Right to Water (HR2W), as defin

In 2016, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) adopted a Human Right to Water Resolution making the Human Right to Water (HR2W), as defined in Assembly Bill 685, a primary consideration and priority across all of the state and regional boards’ programs. The HR2W recognizes that “every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking and sanitary purposes.”  In 2019, to advance the goals of the HR2W, California passed Senate Bill 200 (SB 200), which enabled the State Water Board to establish the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Program. SB 200 established a set of tools, funding sources, and regulatory authorities that the State Water Board harnesses through the SAFER Program to help struggling water systems sustainably and affordably provide safe drinking water.  The annual Drinking Water Needs Assessment (Needs Assessment) required to be carried out by the SAFER Program provides foundational information and recommendations to guide this work. The Needs Assessment is comprised of Risk Assessment, Affordability Assessment, and Cost Assessment components. Development of the Needs Assessment consisted of stages between September 2019 and March 2021, each of which were detailed in publicly-available white papers and presented at public webinars. The public feedback was incorporated into the final methodology and results. 

2021 Emergency Drought Salinity Barrier Project Water Quality Certification

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | May 28th, 2021

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is proposing to implement the 2021 Emergency Drought Salinity Barrier Project (Project). The Project consists of instal

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is proposing to implement the 2021 Emergency Drought Salinity Barrier Project (Project). The Project consists of installation of a temporary emergency drought salinity barrier across West False River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta). The barrier will be constructed of embankment rock (riprap). The purpose of the Project is to control saltwater intrusion into the Central and south Delta and conserve water in upstream reservoirs for other uses. Pursuant to Clean Water Act section 401, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) has authority to consider whether a proposed activity involving a discharge to navigable waters complies with applicable water quality standards and other appropriate requirements of state law and to issue a water quality certification if those requirements will be met. The State Water Board concludes that, as conditioned herein, water quality certification may be issued.  During drought conditions, the release of water stored in upstream reservoirs may be insufficient to repel salinity moving upstream from San Francisco Bay. According to DWR’s analyses, without the protection of the drought salinity barrier, saltwater intrusions could render Delta water unusable for agricultural needs, reduce habitat value for aquatic species, and affect roughly 25 million Californians who rely on the export of this water for personal use. Installation of the temporary rock barrier at West False River would limit salinity intrusion into the Central and south Delta and would potentially conserve water for a variety of uses system-wide.  On May 10, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a Proclamation of State of Emergency (May 2021 Proclamation) due to drought conditions and directed DWR, among other things, to implement plans that address potential Delta salinity issues, including installation and removal of emergency drought salinity barriers as needed. The May 2021 Proclamation mandates that such emergency barriers be designed to conserve water for use later in the year to meet state and federal Endangered Species Act requirements, preserve to the extent possible water quality in the Delta, and retain water supply for human health and safety uses. The State Water Board and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are also directed to immediately consider any necessary regulatory approvals needed to install emergency drought salinity barriers. Additionally, the May 2021 Proclamation suspends Water Code section 13247, which requires state agencies to comply with water quality control plans approved by the State Water Board, and suspends the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for purpose of implementing actions such as the Project.  Installation and removal of the Project will require a permit from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. DWR is seeking emergency authorization under USACE’s Regional General Permit (RGP) 8 – Emergency Repair and Protection Activities. 

2021 RMP Water Cruise Plan

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | October 14th, 2021

This report details plans associated with the annual Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in the San Francisco Estuary (RMP) water cruise. The RMP water samplin

This report details plans associated with the annual Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in the San Francisco Estuary (RMP) water cruise. The RMP water sampling program was redesigned in 2002 to adopt a randomized sampling design at thirty-one sites in place of the twenty-six base program stations sampled previously. In 2007, the number of sites was decreased to twenty-two stations, and it remains as such for 2021. The analytes for 2021 have been modified based on the Status and Trends (S&T) Review process that started in 2020. The analytes that are being removed from the program include selenium and methylmercury (dissolved and particulate), while bisphenols and organophosphate esters (OPEs) have been added to S&T monitoring.