Long-Term Central Valley Project Operations Criteria and Plan CVP-OCAP

This document has been prepared to serve as a baseline description of the facilities and operating environment of the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP). The Central Valley Project – Operations Criteria and Plan (CVP-OCAP) identifies the many factors influencing the physical and institutional conditions and decision-making process under which the project currently operates. Regulatory and legal requirements are explained, alternative operating models and strategies described.

The immediate objective is to provide operations information for the Endangered Species Act, Section 7, consultation. The long range objective is to integrate CVP-OCAP into the proposed Central Valley document.  It is envisioned that CVP-OCAP will be used as a reference by technical specialists and policymakers in and outside Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) in understanding how the CVP is operated.

The CVP-OCAP includes numeric and nonnumeric criteria and operating strategies. Emphasis is given to explaining the analyses used to develop  typical operating plans for simulated hydrologic conditions.

All divisions of the CVP are covered by this document, including the Trinity River Division, Shasta and Sacramento River Divisions, American River Division, Delta Division, West San Joaquin Division, and Friant Division.