'Season's Greetings' from DCA: a 'refined' tunnel route that will destroy salmon and Delta ecosystem

On Christmas Eve, the Delta Conveyance Authority (DCA) released a "refined" tunnel route plan that will destroy Central Valley salmon populations and the Bay-Delta Ecosystem in its strange idea of a “Christmas Present” for Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta residents and the people of California.

The DCA claims that they have "identified a way to construct 45 miles of tunnel with only two launch sites, each including two launch shafts, that are strategically located to minimize impacts. Tunnel Boring Machines would launch in both directions from each launch shaft site." Read more here: https://bit.ly/3OpTjWq

“Launch shaft sites are the largest land footprints of the Delta Conveyance Project given the acreage it takes to place tunnel boring machines into the ground, support tunneling operations, and store the reusable tunnel material (RTM) excavated from the tunnel. The Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA), working at the direction of the Department of Water Resources (DWR), has identified a way to construct 45 miles of tunnel with only two launch sites, each including two launch shafts, that are strategically located to minimize impacts,” the DCA wrote.

The two launch sites are the Twin Cities Complex and Lower Roberts Island.

“At the 586-acre Twin Cities Complex, one tunnel will launch northward to the two intakes on the Sacramento River and another southward to meet up with the tunnel driven northward from Lower Roberts Island. Locating the launch site adjacent to Interstate 5 helps to consolidate traffic on major roadways and avoid rural routes. The launch site is close enough to the intakes to avoid launch shafts near the river or the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge,” the DCA stated.  

“At Lower Roberts Island, one tunnel will launch northward from the 610-acre site and another southward to a site near Bethany Reservoir. The Delta Conveyance Project plans for tunnel machines to bore as long as 15 miles in order to reduce the number of Antioch launch sites. Located near the Port of Stockton, new Oakley rail infrastructure can connect the Port directly to the Lower Roberts Island launch site, reducing traffic,” the DCA concluded.

On the DCA’s post on their Facebook page, Delta Tunnel opponents quickly slammed the unveiling of the “revised” project route as a scam by the DCA to repackage the widely-opposed tunnel. Delta residents weren’t fooled by the new packaging of the same old project, as revealed by their comments on the “revised” route.

Annafiina Swenson of North Delta Cares wrote, “Refined ?! It’s the same plan of the past 10 years - no new water.” 

She added, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the Delta people who see this for what it is and are ready to testify against it.”

“Just because MET gave you more money doesn't mean we are giving up,” she said, referring to the recent vote by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to approve $141.6 million in additional funding for Delta Tunnel planning.

Gia Moreno Cruz, a Chicana and Native American grassroots activist from Hood, the Delta town that sits at ground zero for the project’s construction, commented, “It doesn't matter how many times they ‘refine’ this project, the end result will always be the destruction of the Delta, wiping out Hood, California, no new water for SoCal, and higher rates for rate payers.”

“Planners of this project continue to use outdated studies, and the bones of previous projects to push this failure forward. This project helps no one but those being paid to plan, build, and promote it. Instead of helping Californians by creating more avenues for water sustainability and conservation, the state and project backers are throwing money away. Without the Delta, California will not survive. This project is just bringing about the destruction of our beautiful state,” said Cruz.

Bill Wells, executive director of the Delta Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, said, ”The new ‘refined’ tunnel route is more of the same giant boondoggle and needs to be stopped.  Moving the tunnel a mile or so East does nothing to help the citizens of Hood who are at ground zero for the tunnel intakes.  It does nothing for the fish populations that will be destroyed or the people in the Delta whose lives will be disrupted.”  

“The 44 foot diameter tunnel will have the capability of dewatering the Sacramento River. We cannot allow this waterway to be destroyed by greedy people when there are viable alternatives such as desalination.  This plan takes water from the ‘less equal’ people of Hood and the Delta and sends it to the ‘more equal’ people of Southern California. It is Orwellian,” Wells stated.

Wells also challenged Wade Crowfoot, Director of the California Natural Resources Agency, and Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources: “Please show us five examples where a scheme like this did not destroy the existing waterway!”   

Caleen Audrey Sisk, Chief of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, slammed the Delta Tunnel project for the immense harm it will cause to the Delta ecosystem and Central Valley salmon populations.

“This Tunnel will destroy the Delta and the sensitive estuary that supports a very essential nursery for all, including salmon smolt changing from fresh water to salt water life to live in the ocean,” Sisk said. “It also is essential for adult salmon coming in to return to the rivers to high mountains by assisting salmon changing from salt water to freshwater! The tunnel will not only upset the balance of fresh water and salt water mixtures but will destroy deep fresh water springs in the bottom of the Delta that keep the Delta functioning now,” Sisk stated.

In response to the post by the DCA on X/Twitter touting the “revised route,” “Delta United” commented, “Yeah the landowners along the 35 mile route are really looking forward to having their property interfered with and/or taken by the state for this boondoggle.”

The project is opposed by a big coalition of Tribes, fishing groups, conservation organizations, Delta residents, Delta counties and water districts, scientists and water ratepayers. Opponents say the tunnel, by diverting Sacramento River water before it reaches the Delta, will drive already imperiled Delta smelt, longfin smelt, Sacramento winter-run and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, green sturgeon and other fish species to extinction and have a devastating impact on Tribal, fishing, farming and environmental justice communities.

I challenge the Delta Conveyance Authority and the Department of Water Resources to show me just one example in world or U.S. history where a project diverting more water from a river before it flows through an estuary has resulted in restoring that river or estuary.