Two Years Old: Walking and Talking - Poised to Run? Urban Water Institute: August 25, 2011

Overview• Who /What is SFCWA• Mission• SFCWA Programs and Activities• Future Roles?•Questions?

Who/What is SFCWA?•Formed in August 2009

•Joint Powers Authority directly or indirectly representing more than 50 entities

•Members contract for State Water Project & Central Valley Project water conveyed through the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

•Members of SFCWA deliver water to more than 25 million people and 3 million acres of highly productive farm land

Who/What is SFCWA? JPA Member Agencies

Metropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniaKern County Water AgencyState Water Project Contractors AuthoritySan Luis & Delta Mendota Water AuthorityWestlands Water DistrictSanta Clara Valley Water District

Board members: general managers or board directors from the member agencies

SFCWA Mission Assist SFCWA member agencies in assuring a sufficient, reliable and high-quality water supply for their customers; maximize the efficient operation of the State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project.

SFCWA Primary Program Areas

• Habitat Program – Implement restoration projects to comply with Biological Opinion requirements

• Coordinated Science Program – develop published peer-reviewed science on all ecosystem stressors of the Delta

• Delta Governance – coordinate exporter agencies on Delta Stewardship Council and the Delta Plan

SFCWA Primary Program Areas Habitat Program - Requirements

• Biological Opinion obligations:• 8,000 Acres intertidal habitat – smelt• 17-20,000 acres seasonal salmon floodplain

habitat

• Bay Delta Conservation Plan implementation –additional +- 65,000 acres

• Pursued under agreement in cooperation with DWR/USBR

Habitat Program – Projects and Elements

1. Yolo Ranch Restoration Project – EIR in prep for restoration of 800-1,100 acres in Yolo bypass• County issues – moratorium on habitat restoration

2. Tule Red/Suisun marsh – Project agreement to purchase 350 acres adjacent to DFG property

3. DWR Implementation Agreement4. Fisheries Crediting Agreement5. Finance plan to meet habitat obligations – Sept/Oct

+- $90 m for three years implementation

9

Yolo Ranch Restoration Project

10

Yolo Ranch – Current Form

Tidal Marsh RestorationLower Yolo Bypass/Westlands Property

Artist’s rendition for illustration only

Suisun Marsh

Tule Red Club

13

Grizzly Bay

Tule Red Habitat Project

Tule Red Habitat Project

• Great elevations

• Aggrading

shoreline

• Consistent w/

SMP

• Expandable

• $1.7k/ac

easement

• Reduces

speculation

• Partner w/

hunters

SFCWA Primary Program Areas Science Program

• Focus on evaluation of impact of “other stressors”

1. Nutrients

2. Predation

3. Habitat loss

4. Toxics

• Critique and evaluation of studies by others and Programs

• Engage in IEP and Delta Science Program

Science Program55 projects in process Papers near publishing:

Dr. Patricia Glibert – further work in nutrient impacts in Delta and comparison worldwide

Dr. Richard Dugdale – ammonium inhibition of pyhto plankton

Drs. Maunder and Deriso – delta smelt life cycle modelDr. BJ Miller – critique of entrainment study by

KimmererDrs. Murphy, Manly, Mongan and Miller – multivariate

analyses of delta smelt stressors

Special TopicsSalmon Recovery Group: SFCWA, San Joaquin

River Group Authority and Northern California Water Association: Mission –advance the understanding of the effects of all significant stressors that affect salmon run sustainability in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River systems and take to assist in the recovery of salmon

Hydropower Group: SFCWA, NCWA, SJRGA and power utilities – develop analytical tool to assess hydropower generation impacts of flow proposals

SFCWA Primary Program Areas

Delta Governance• Engage in Delta Stewardship Council and

Delta Plan• Track Delta Protection Commission• Assist in Development of Delta Conservancy

Delta GovernanceModel for the Delta Plan?

Regulator of local and state agencies? Or, An integrator, collaborator, grade-keeper?

Water Agency effort at alternative planActions and accountability frameworkAll stressors vs. “church of the natural hydrograph”

Delta Protection Commission – Economic Sustainability Plan

Delta Conservancy – Long Term Role

SFCWA Future RolesImplementing agency under BDCPPotential Project contracting roleConsolidated Point of use for CVP/SWPRole if Projects consolidated ?

Summary/ Questions/Comments?