"Yesterday, the National Marine Fisheries Service released a biological opinion on the impact of Federal and State water projects in California’s Bay Delta.

What the Agency found is that additional endangered species – including salmon, sturgeon, and steelhead – are jeopardized by the current water projects. The Agency concluded that to avoid the extinction of these endangered species, further restrictions on pumping next spring will be needed, along with a number of changes to the long-term operations of the Delta infrastructure. 

What this underscores is the absolute urgency to develop a comprehensive, long-term plan that restores the Delta ecosystem, includes Delta communities, and provides a stable water supply – and that affected parties need to come to an agreement on a preferred alternative solution this year.

I believe this plan should include new conveyance, along with more storage, water recycling and conservation mandates, groundwater management, desalination, and a robust habitat restoration plan. At the same time, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan needs to expedite its work on the multi-species habitat conservation plan and the State needs to resolve the issues of governance, conservation, and financing as soon as possible.

Bottom line: the longer we wait, the worse the crisis gets. So, I firmly believe the solution must be agreed to this year, and I offer to help in any way that I can.”

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