Salmon fishing season is closed on the ocean, Central Valley rivers and Klamath River this year while the Delta smelt and other fish species move closer and closer to extinction in the wild. We must take action now to stop things from getting even worse!
Sierra Club California Action Alert:
The San Francisco Bay-Delta cannot survive further delays and half-baked promises from special interest groups. Action is needed now to finalize updates and implement the Bay Delta Plan and improve water management now.
Call in on Monday to urge the Water Board to move forward with a Bay Delta Plan WITHOUT Voluntary Agreements (VAs). The VAs will harm the Delta and prop up unsustainable water diversions.
The State Water Board began the process of conducting a comprehensive review and update to the Bay Delta Plan in 2008. This review was meant to address issues related to documented declines observed for multiple Delta species, salinity, in-stream flows, and climate change. In 2018, the Board finally moved forward with adopting updated standards for the Lower San Joaquin River flows and Southern Delta Salinity (Phase 1). However, the Board has yet to adopt updated standards for the Sacramento River and Delta Outflows (Phase 2).
For the last decade, California water agencies have promised to develop a VA to address the decline of the Bay Delta estuary and its tributaries. Meanwhile, endangered species continued to decline, Harmful Algal Blooms proliferated, and we’ve seen severe drought and flood impacts manifest in our watersheds.
Last March, CNRA and participating water agencies released the latest in a series of ill-conceived VA proposals to address the worsening crisis. Like the VAs before it, the latest proposal fails to include adequate in-stream flow protections necessary to support aquatic species and address water quality and salinity issues.
On Monday, the Board is holding a listening session to update and hear from the public on the Board’s efforts to update and implement the Bay-Delta Plan, including the possible Voluntary Agreements. The Voluntary Agreements are an alternative to the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan proposed by water users and state and federal agencies to avoid meeting the increased flow obligations necessary to improve water quality in the Bay-Delta and its tributaries.
Tell the Water Board NOT to move forward with the Voluntary Agreements by attending the Board listening session to share your concerns.
The listening session is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm on Monday, March 27th, with a second presentation and opportunity to comment beginning at 5:00 pm. The listening session will be fully remote, and you must by NOON TODAY register to attend the meeting via the Board website. Once submitted, you will receive an email from the Board Clerk with instructions on how to join the zoom meeting.
On the day of the workshop, join the meeting on the zoom platform at 1:00 pm or 5:00 pm. The Board will have a short presentation before public comment begins. When called upon, unmute yourself and give your comment. Comments may be limited depending on attendance.
If you cannot attend the meeting, the Board will accept written comment via email to Bay-Delta@waterboards.ca.gov with the subject line “3/27/23 Listening Session Questions and Comments”.
You can find more information and talking points for the meeting here.