IMPLEMENTING THE DELTA PACKAGE

Historic Delta Legislation Signed Into Law
  
A bold new comprehensive approach is now in place to address the crisis in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, improve water management statewide and invest in water reliability throughout California with Governor Schwarzenegger’s signing of five landmark bills that were approved by the State Legislature on November 4.

This is a tremendous moment in California water history.  The Legislature’s approval of this sweeping, bipartisan overhaul of the state’s water system reflects an unparalleled effort to move California into a new era of water reliability that will benefit the state’s residents and economy for generations to come.

The cornerstone of the comprehensive water package is restoration of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem, which Metropolitan fully supports. The legislation carefully balances the need for Delta improvements with water supply reliability for the State Water Project. They go hand-in-hand. As a foundation of this five-bill package, the legislation creates new a Delta Stewardship Council that will help  coordinate the actions of more than 200 local, state and federal agencies in the estuary. The legislation also establishes a pathway for the necessary conveyance and habitat improvement in the Delta, being developed by the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, to become part of a broader Delta Plan to be drafted by the new Stewardship Council.

As the financial plan to underwrite the public’s share of water investments, the Legislature approved an $11.1 billion bond that will be placed on the November 2010 ballot. If passed by voters next November, the bond will help fund Delta restoration, the public benefits associated with new storage projects, groundwater cleanup, recycling and regional water management efforts.

As part of statewide water management reforms, the Legislation also approved a program to lower per-capita water use by 20 percent by the year 2020 through locally-based conservation strategies, to establish locally-controlled groundwater monitoring programs and to mandate surface water measurement and reporting statewide, ending a specific exemption for diverters within the Delta.

The package reflects the successful completion of a decades-long effort by Metropolitan and many other water districts and stakeholders to forge a new direction for the Delta, where deteriorating environmental conditions have led to unprecedented water supply restrictions.

Governor Schwarzenegger, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, minority leaders Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth and Assemblymember Sam Blakeslee, and legislators on both sides of the aisle should be commended for their leadership in getting this historic legislation approved.

METROPOLITAN MEDIA STATEMENTS

November 4
Timothy F. Brick, chairman of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California statement regarding the California Legislature’s passage earlier today of an historic package of legislative reforms for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and statewide water management, along with an $11 billion water bond.

September 12, 2009
Pasadena Star News, Op-ed, Timothy F. Brick and Jeffrey Kightlinger, Decisions on the Delta; Legislature working on much-needed plan.

August 26
L.A. Times, Op-ed, Timothy F. Brick
Plans for San Joaquin delta meld policy with plumbing.

Watch the narrative video of the Opinion Editorial.

December 26
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/San Bernardino County Sun, Op-ed, General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger
Bottleneck at Delta must be opened

September 9
Ventura County Star, Op-ed, Director Ted Grandsen
Best and last chance at water reform

September 8
Orange County Register, Op-ed, John V. Foley
Decision time for troubled Delta.

September 4
Contra Costa Times, Op-ed, Sunne Wright McPeak and Timothy F. Brick
For Delta, the moment of decision has come

September 2
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Op-ed, Timothy F. Brick and Jeff Kightlinger
It’s decision time for the Delta.

August 28
Napa Valley Register, Timothy F. Brick, Op-ed from L.A. Times reprinted
Winning the Water War

August 23
Sacramento Bee, Op-ed, Burt Wilson
A peripheral canal won’t make any more water; it will just send more of it from north to south

August 31, Sacramento Bee, Timothy F. Brick's Response to Wilson's Op-ed
History should be a guide for Delta’s future

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METROPOLITAN’S POLICIES ON THE DELTA
Over the years, the Metropolitan board has adopted numerous policies that provide a framework for solutions to create a sustainable Delta. 

Delta Vision Implementation (Board Letter 8-7, adopted January 13, 2009)

Delta Governance Principles (Board Letter 8-11, adopted August 19, 2008)

Delta Conveyance Criteria (Board Letter 8-4, adopted September 11, 2007)

Delta Action Plan (Board Letter 8-6, adopted June 12, 2007)

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