Flexibility or Environmental Harm? California’s Water Management Debate Continues With Governor Newsom’s Executive Order
On February 12, 2021, Governor Newsom signed an executive order authorizing the modification of state requirements that govern the quantity of water flowing from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta into the San Francisco Bay.
Some argue that this change could be a significant shift in priorities for California's water management, while others believe it provides the necessary flexibility to better manage water supplies.
The State Water Resources Control Board has been tasked with considering this modification to ensure there is enough water supply for the health, safety, environment, and drought-resilient water supplies.
Governor Newsom has ordered the suspension of Water Code Section 13247 and Public Resources Code, Division 13 and its regulations to enable the Water Board to modify reservoir releases or diversion limitations in State Water Project facilities or Central Valley Project.
The order would allow for more water to be stored in Lake Shasta, Lake Oroville, and San Luis Reservoir in the San Joaquin Valley.
After the floods that hit the San Francisco Bay area, several farm groups, Central Valley legislators, and urban water providers had asked state officials to store more water in reservoirs to increase the supply to farmers and residents in the southern part of the state.
Environmental activists are concerned that the modification will damage the habitats of Chinook salmon and Delta smelt.
Doug Obegi, a water law attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, believes that this is a breakdown of law and order in the Delta and may lead to extinction in the Delta.
Regardless of the decision, this issue highlights the ongoing debate on how to balance water management and environmental concerns in California.
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