Express Support for California WaterFix and Authorize Participation in the Construction of California WaterFix Including Payment of Costs Consistent with the Me

Express Support for California WaterFix and Authorize Participation in the Construction of California WaterFix Including Payment of Costs Consistent with the Me

DWR, acting as the Lead Agency under CEQA, certified an FEIR, adopted Findings of Fact, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and field a Notice of Determination on July 21, 2017 for California WaterFix, Alternative 4A. CA WaterFix involves the construction of new north Delta intake structures with state of the art fish screens that, when coupled with dual conveyance, will increase water supply reliability and align water operations to better reflect natural seasonal flow patterns. These intakes will reduce the State Water Project's and Central Valley Project's ongoing reliance on existing diversion facilities located at the far southern part of the Delta; allow for greater operational flexibility to protect fish; and capture water during high flow events when pumping in the south Delta would otherwise be restricted, thus rendering SWP and CVP water supplies from the Delta more reliable. Alternative 4A also includes habitat restoration commensurate with CEQA's mitigation requirements. Major feature of CA WAterFix include three new intakes on the east bank of the Sacramento River in the northern Delta, three 13.5 mile long tunnels connecting these intakes to a new, 30-acre intermediate forebay, and two 30-mile long tunnels carrying water from this forebay to a new pump plant connected to an expanded and modified Clifton Court Forebay. From their water would move into the existing SWP and CVP pumping plants located in the south Delta. The total maximum north Delta diversion intake capacity would be 9,000 cubic feet per second. A full project description of Alt.4A is provided in ch. 3 of the FEIR. Under the CA Water Code, DWR is responsible for the construction, maintenance and operations of the SWP, of which CA WaterFix is a part, and for securing funding for SWP-related costs. The SWP share of the CA WaterFix costs would be paid by SWP Contractors in accordance with their long-term delivery contracts with DWR. Metropolitan is the largest Contractor under the SWP, and Metropolitan's approved share of the WaterFix Project costs is 25.9%.

Stockton

Sacramento