Bay Delta Conservation Plan: Restoring California's Delta Ecosystem

1. Southern California Water Committee March 26, 2010 Ontario KARLA NEMETH, Natural Resources Agency

2. Why is the Delta Important?

3. Where are we today? Pelagic Organism Decline ESA lawsuits re: delta smelt and salmon Additional species candidates for listing Green Sturgeon Longfin smelt Drought

4. How Water Currently Flows Across the Delta 3 Sac River Reverses SanJoaquin River 2 SWP Pumps CVP Pumps Sac River– Delta Cross Channel– Mokelumne River– Old & Middle Rivers 1 Ocean/TidalHigh salinity South Delta River Reversals

5. What is the BDCP? Multiple species, contribute to long-recovery Conservation Plan Conservation Strategy Aspects of implementation + + + = ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP

6. Equal Goals Water Supply Focus

7. Equal Goals Ecosystem Focus

8. It is a major challenge to restore an ecosystem in an environment like the Delta that is highly altered and largely unnatural.

9. Plan Development • Planning Agreement – 2006 • Stressors identified; Options evaluated • Points of Agreement Document – 2007 • Independent Science Reports • BDCP Conservation Principles • Adaptive Management • Terrestrial Species • Overview of Draft Conservation Strategy – 2009 • Modeling • Preliminary Draft Conservation Strategy – Fall/Winter 2010 9

10. Steering Committee

11. Covered Species • Delta smelt • Longfin smelt • Chinook Salmon • winter, spring, fall and late fall • Green and white sturgeon • Central valley steelhead • Sacramento splittail • About 48 terrestrial species

12. Aquatic Conservation Measures Biological Goals & Objectives For Covered Fish Species Improve survival Improve fitness Improve distribution Improve growth rate Decrease mortality Habitat Restoration Conservation Actions Phytoplankton and zooplankton (fish food) Spawning and rearing Other Stressors Conservation Actions Reduce contaminants Reduce predation effects Improve fish passage Reduce Disease Reduce non-natives Water Operations Conservation Actions Improve water quality Reduce entrainment Improve water flow and habitat conditions

13. Dual Conveyance Flow and Habitat Fundamentals East/west flow pattern Habitat interaction Water reliability and quality 1 2 3 SWP Pumps CVP Pumps Ocean/TidalHigh salinity

14. Draft Conservation Strategy – Major Elements • Other Stressors • Reduce methylmercury • Remove non-native aquatic plants • Reduce illegal harvest • Establish hatchery and genetic management plans • Support Delta and longfin smelt propagation programs • Reduce predators • Construct non-physical barriers to re-direct juvenile salmonids • Water Facilities & • Operations • North Delta diversion • 5 intakes • 15,000 cfs design capacity • Tunnel/Pipeline subject of focused study in BDCP • Minimum flows to ensure healthy habitat and water quality • Sacramento River flows are always greater than exports Habitat Restoration • Up to 80,000 acres tidal marsh, riparian, and floodplain • Enhanced floodplain in the Yolo Bypass-temporary inundation • 20-40 linear miles channel restoration

15. Draft Conversation Strategy - Flows

16. Potential Habitat Restoration Potential Tunnel Conveyance

17. BDCP Conveyance Options • Five water intake facilities along the Sacramento River, between Freeport and Courtland • Isolated Conveyance Facility (East/West/Tunnel) • Through-Delta • (armoring the Delta) • Dual Conveyance System

18. Natural Communities & Terrestrial Species • 48 Species for Coverage • 70,000 acres tidal marsh/riparian restoration also supports 28 terrestrial species • Propose approx. 45,000 additional acres • Total Terrestrial Restoration Target approx 101,000 – 115,000 acres

19. Key Issues - Conservation Strategy • Refine/determine proposed conservation measures. • Effects of plan on biological resources, other scientific efforts • Climate change • Design aspects of conveyance (pipeline/canal) • Metrics, monitoring and adaptive management • Coordination with other conservation plans in the Delta • Address conflicts between aquatic and terrestrial habitat restoration

20. Key Issues & Challenges Regulatory assurances in light of scientific uncertainty Cost and financing of conveyance, habitat restoration, and other stressor measures Limited control over other factors affecting fish species By whom and how the plan would be implemented Public support

21. Public Input & Schedule • Delta Community Workshops Held in 2009 • Technical focus on draft conservation strategy • Ongoing Steering Committee Meetings- Open to the Public • Ongoing Stakeholder Briefings • Local jurisdictions, Recreational interests, Water users, Agriculture, Tribes, Environmental Justice communities • Public Draft Conservation Plan – Fall 2010

22. Environmental Review Process

23. Karla Nemeth 916-651-7587 Karla.nemeth@resources.ca.gov www.baydeltaconservationplan.com