Recharge Area Protection (Resource Management Strategy)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | July 29th, 2016

Recharge areas are those areas that provide the primary means of replenishing groundwater. Good natural recharge areas are those where good quality surface water is able

Recharge areas are those areas that provide the primary means of replenishing groundwater. Good natural recharge areas are those where good quality surface water is able to percolate through the sediments and rocks to the saturated zone which contains groundwater. If recharge areas cease to function properly, it will limit groundwater replenishment and/or groundwater quality for storage or use. Protection of recharge areas requires a number of actions based on two primary goals: (1) ensuring that areas suitable for recharge continue to be capable of adequate recharge rather than being covered by urban infrastructure, such as buildings and roads, and (2) preventing pollutants from entering groundwater to avoid expensive treatment that may be necessary prior to beneficial use. Protection of recharge areas is necessary to maintain the quantity and quality of groundwater in the aquifer. However, protecting recharge areas by itself does not provide a supply of water. Recharge areas are functioning properly when aquifer storage capacity is available, sufficient permeable surface is present, and the adequate supply of good quality water to recharge the aquifer is available. Protecting existing and potential recharge areas allows them to serve as valuable components of a conjunctive management and groundwater strategy.

Reclamation’s NEPA Handbook

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | January 31st, 2012

This edition of the Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Handbook has been developed in response to the Council on Environment

This edition of the Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Handbook has been developed in response to the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Interior) implementing regulations on NEPA. These regulations state that each agency will interpret the provisions of NEPA as a supplement to its existing authority and as a mandate to view its policies and missions in the light of its national environmental objectives. This handbook has been designed as a guidance tool for use by all Reclamation staff. It should also be useful to applicants, contractors, tribal representatives, the general public, and others who may be involved in Reclamation’s NEPA process, or those who develop environmental reports for Reclamation’s use in preparing NEPA documents. This handbook describes Reclamation guidance for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 4321, et seq.), CEQ’s Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500–1508), Interior’s NEPA Regulations (43 CFR Part 46), and the Departmental Manual (DM) Chapter 516. This handbook draws these requirements together and provides guidance on how to apply them to Reclamation programs and activities. The Reclamation Manual NEPA Policy (ENV P03) refers to this handbook as the source of additional information on NEPA compliance for Reclamation. The handbook also presents and summarizes other related environmental laws and Executive orders (EO) which should be addressed during NEPA compliance. This handbook provides an overview of NEPA in chapter 2. Chapter 3 contains a general description of the requirements and procedures of NEPA. Chapter 4 provides information on integrating NEPA with other Reclamation activities. Specific information on categorical exclusion checklists (CEC), environmental assessments (EA), and environmental impact statements (EIS) can be found in chapters 5, 6, and 7, respectively. This organizational structure has been selected to allow the user to quickly locate specific, step-by-step information on the different levels of NEPA compliance. Chapter 8 addresses EIS content, and chapter 9 discusses the requirements of a record of decision (ROD). Chapters 10 and 11 present other information that can be useful in the various situations that arise in applying NEPA to Reclamation’s Federal actions. Chapter 12 concludes the handbook with information on gaining additional assistance on NEPA issues. In addition, various issues and special problems are discussed throughout the handbook. Where possible, solutions that have worked historically, or approaches that seem most reasonable, are recommended.

Recommendations to the State Water Resources Control Board Pursuant to California Water Code Section 10609

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | September 29th, 2022

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is pleased to provide the following recommendations developed in response to the 2018 Legislation (Senate Bill 606 [Hertzberg] and

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is pleased to provide the following recommendations developed in response to the 2018 Legislation (Senate Bill 606 [Hertzberg] and Assembly Bill 1668 [Friedman]) enacted in support of “Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life.” The Legislation included provisions for advancing urban water use efficiency through developing and implementing various water use efficiency standards, variances for unique uses of water, and commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) performance measures, among other requirements. Full reports detailing our methods, technical analyses, studies, public input, and recommendations will follow. These recommendations for long-term urban water use efficiency reflect technical considerations, public input, and the imperative to continue California’s progress in urban efficient use of water for future generations. If adopted DWR's recommendations on outdoor residential and CII water use on landscapes with dedicated irrigation meters, combined with the indoor residential water use standard recommendations submitted to the Legislature jointly by DWR and State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board), pursuant to Water Code 10609.4 (b)(1), would result in expected long-term water savings of approximately 450,000 acre-feet per year starting in 2030 – considering 2019 population and 2017-2019 water use data, the water savings are enough to supply about 1.6 million homes or 4.7 million residents for both indoor and outdoor annual water needs.

Recovery Plan for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta native fishes

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) | November 26th, 1996

Eight fish species are included in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Native Fishes Recovery Plan. The delta smelt is listed as a threatened species. The Sacramento splitta

Eight fish species are included in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Native Fishes Recovery Plan. The delta smelt is listed as a threatened species. The Sacramento splittail (splittail) was proposed as a threatened species on January 6, 1994. This recovery plan will recommend restoration criteria for the splittail that would be appropriate recovery criteria should the species be listed. Longfin smelt, green sturgeon, spring-run, late fall-run, and San Joaquin fall-run chinook salmon are species of concern for which restoration criteria are recommended. Information is also included on Sacramento perch, a species believed to be extirpated from the Delta at this time. Habitat Requirements and Limiting Factors: The eight species included in this recovery plan depend on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for a significant segment of their life history. Threats to the Delta ecosystem and these species include loss of habitat due to increased freshwater exports resulting in increased salinity, loss of shallow-water habitat due to dredging, diking and filling, introduced aquatic species that have disrupted the food chain, and entrainment (movement offish by currents produced by diversions) in State, Federal and private water diversion. State and Federal water projects have also changed the pattern and timing of flows through the Delta. The salmon races are affected by sport and commercial harvest as well as by interactions with hatchery stocks. Recovery and Restoration Objective: Delisting of delta smelt. Restoration of splittail, longfin smelt, green sturgeon, spring-run, late fall-run, San Joaquin fall-run chinook salmon, and Sacramento perch. Recovery and Restoration Criteria: Recovery criteria are quantifiable and species specific and can be used to (1) monitor effectiveness of recovery actions, (2) determine when a species has recovered to a secure level (stabilized), and (3) determine when a species qualifies for delisting. In many cases, criteria are based on two independent measures: population abundance and geographic distribution. For each species a historic base period was established using available data to characterize abundance and distribution during a pre-decline period. The time period over which abundance and distribution criteria must be met was set at five generations. For five of the eight species there is an additional requirement of meeting the criteria through a minimum number of years of stressful environmental conditions. Action Needed: 1. Enhance and restore aquatic and wetland habitat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River estuary. 2. Reduce effects of commercial and recreational harvest. 3. Reduce effects of introduced aquatic species on Delta native fishes. 4. Change and improve enforcement ofregulatory mechanisms. 5. Conduct monitoring and research on fish biology and management requirements. 6. Assess recovery management actions and re-assess prioritization of actions. 7. Increase public awareness of importance of Delta native fishes.

Redefining expectations for urban water supply systems to fight wildfires

Springer Nature | March 5th, 2025

When considering massive new costs for urban water systems to fight wildfires, we also need to look hard at the distribution of benefits from these investments, and desig

When considering massive new costs for urban water systems to fight wildfires, we also need to look hard at the distribution of benefits from these investments, and design legal and fiscal cost recovery mechanisms that align with those benefits. In the service area for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, greatly expanding capacity for water supply and fire-flow for the highest-elevation areas of the city would be delivering a benefit to communities that are much wealthier, on average, than the rest of the city. There is danger of placing a burden on less-resourced households to pay for the protection of well-resourced households, which would compound existing and profound environmental inequities in the city.

Regional Watershed Modeling and Trends Implementation Plan

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | July 1st, 2019

Replenishing Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley

Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) | April 1st, 2018

The San Joaquin Valley—which has the biggest imbalance between groundwater pumping and replenishment in the state—is ground zero for implementing the 2014 Sustainable

The San Joaquin Valley—which has the biggest imbalance between groundwater pumping and replenishment in the state—is ground zero for implementing the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Expanding groundwater recharge could help local water users bring their basins into balance and make a dent in the long-term deficit of nearly 2 million acre-feet per year. The experience with recharge in 2017?the first wet year since the enactment of SGMA?offers valuable insights in how to expand recharge. A survey of valley water districts’ current recharge efforts revealed strong interest in the practice, and a number of constraints. The following actions are needed to better capitalize on future opportunities: Clarify rules on water available for recharge. The State Water Board needs to develop an expeditious process for enabling water users to capture surface water when it is available. Beyond the legal aspects of establishing rights for diversion and storage, an essential part of this process is technical: developing a simple, rapid way to determine when river flows exceed water required for environmental purposes and downstream users. Evaluate infrastructure capacity. One of the key challenges for expanding recharge is that most available flows are in the northern part of the valley, while most of the overdraft?and best recharge lands?are in the south. In addition, these flows are mainly available for just a few months. A top priority is to evaluate opportunities for improving the use of existing infrastructure (conveyance facilities, surface reservoirs, and recharge basins) and determine where additional investments are warranted. A big bottleneck is likely to be regional conveyance, which is inadequate for capturing and moving high flows to suitable recharge locations. Improve recharge on farmland. Active recharge on farmland may be one of the most promising ways to capture water cost-effectively in wetter years, but it is low relative to its potential. Significantly ramping up this practice will require addressing a suite of technical issues and establishing incentives. Address regulatory barriers. State and federal agencies need to improve processes for approving construction of new recharge projects, moving recharge water through their conveyance facilities, and enabling more flexibility in where water is stored. Water managers and growers also need guidelines from the state for implementing on-farm recharge in ways that are consistent with water quality rules. Strengthen groundwater accounting. Better accounting of water going into and out of groundwater basins is key to sustainable management. It is also needed for developing incentives for growers to recharge, encouraging recharge partnerships, and informing decisions on new investments. Making the most of recharge opportunities will require high levels of cooperation among a wide variety of stakeholders. Local and regional partnerships?for capturing and moving water efficiently, making new investments, and devising projects that bring multiple benefits?are key to helping the region manage this critical resource over the long-term.

Report of the State Engineer to the Legislature of the State of California - Session of 1881

State of California | January 3rd, 1880

Report on an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for the San Joaquin Valley of California

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | May 1st, 2016

A major investment has been made through California voter-approved general obligation bonds to incentivize regional water infrastructure and management solutions that imp

A major investment has been made through California voter-approved general obligation bonds to incentivize regional water infrastructure and management solutions that improve self-sufficiency, reduce water use impacts and support environmental protection and restoration. The program, put into California water statutes in 2002, and managed by the California State Department of Water Resources (DWR), is called Integrated Regional Water Management Planning (IRWMP). This planning tool, along with other water management strategies, actions and activities that have emerged, were ultimately intended to be elevated to an aggregate effort for the entire San Joaquin Valley into a Valley-wide integrated water plan. The aggregate effort was included as a goal in federal legislation (PL 111-11, Section 10101). The legislation included funding for the California Water Institute (CWI) at California State University, Fresno to prepare a report on the Valley-wide activities.

Report on the Delta Drought Response Pilot Program for Water Year 2023

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | July 24th, 2024

This report describes the 2023 Delta Drought Response Pilot Program (DDRPP/Program), provides an analysis of the Program’s effectiveness, and describes the Program outc

This report describes the 2023 Delta Drought Response Pilot Program (DDRPP/Program), provides an analysis of the Program’s effectiveness, and describes the Program outcomes, including findings and recommendations for application in future agricultural water conservation programs. The DDRPP launched in January 2022 as a response to the continuing risk of drought in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed. This report focuses on the results of the 2023 Program, with a brief analysis comparing both years of the Program. For detailed information on the 2022 Program and 2022 analysis, see the 2022 DDRPP Final Report (Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, 2023).