Implementing the California Water Action Plan
The Sacramento Valley
January 14, 2016
The Northern California Water Association (NCWA) applauds Governor Brown’s call to implement the California Water Action Plan (Action Plan) throughout the state to address California’s water challenges. North State water resources managers have and will continue to work diligently with state agencies to implement various parts of the Action Plan in the Sacramento Valley for the multiple benefits of cities and communities, farms, fish, birds and recreation. This includes the following actions:
- Conservation and efficient water management is a way of life in both urban and rural areas;
- Protect and restore important ecosystems, including the Sacramento Valley Salmon Recovery Program and providing water for the Central Valley Joint Venture plan for birds along the Pacific Flyway;
- Expand water storage capacity and improve groundwater management, including advancing the Sites off stream storage project, re-operating existing reservoirs for multiple benefits, and sustainable groundwater storage and conjunctive use;
- Provide safe water for all communities, including both urban and rural programs to improve water quality in the region.
As we look forward to the next several years, the key to a successful Action Plan is empowering regional and local agencies to implement on the ground projects and encouraging collaboration across regions and amongst those having different values in water. Collaboration is the centerpiece of the Action Plan and we believe that regional and local agencies developing comprehensive, negotiated resolutions for multiple benefits will be our best opportunity to achieve our water supply, water quality and ecosystem goals. We encourage the Brown Administration to create an atmosphere of success to bridge the many divides that challenge our water system. The letter exchange late last year between Natural Resources Secretary Laird and State Water Board Chair Marcus helps frame the importance of negotiated resolutions involving the Bay-Delta. We support these letters and urge state agencies to keep moving forward in 2016, while focusing energy on encouraging and facilitating negotiated resolutions that serve multiple benefits.
Northern California is committed to continue efforts to work with the Brown Administration and our many partners to implement the Action Plan.
