Developing and Delivering More Water Supplies to California

This memorandum directs the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce to supplement a newly issued Plan of Operations and Record of Decision for California's Central Valley Project and State Water Project, aiming to increase water deliveries while protecting species. It mandates implementation of water storage and storm capture provisions under the WIIN Act, application of recent Endangered Species Act management improvements, and quarterly progress reporting to the Council on Environmental Quality.

Federal Register Open PDF 85 FR 11273

Impact dates

May 19, 2020
Quarterly updates to CEQ Chair on progress implementing sections 2(a) and 2(b)

Key directives

Secretaries of Interior and Commerce to supplement CVP/SWP operations to make water deliveries more reliable and bountiful
Implement WIIN Act subtitle J authorities for water storage, storm capture, and regulatory certainty
Fully implement recent Administration improvements to ESA program management for future agency actions
Provide quarterly updates to CEQ Chair on progress under sections 2(a) and 2(b)
Secretary of Interior to publish memorandum in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Plan of Operations and Record of Decision issued same day as memorandum
Quarterly reporting obligation begins

Near term (90d)

First quarterly update to CEQ Chair due
Coordination between Interior and Commerce on supplementing operations

Long term

Implementation of WIIN Act subtitle J authorities for water storage and storm capture
Ongoing application of revised Endangered Species Act management practices
Sustained increased water deliveries to Central Valley if operational changes succeed

Risks & tensions

Potential conflict between increased water withdrawals and ESA species protections
Tension with prior regulatory frameworks characterized as 'fragmented and outdated'
Subject to appropriations availability, creating funding uncertainty
Implementation 'consistent with applicable law' may limit operational flexibility
Vague directive to make deliveries 'more reliable and bountiful' lacks quantifiable targets