Spring-run Chinook used to be the dominant run of salmon in California’s Central Valley, with more than a million spawners spread across nearly every river and foothill creek.
Endangered Species Protection
A juvenile delta smelt inside a rearing tank at the U.C. Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Lab located at the John E. Skinner Delta Fish Protective Facility near Byron, California. Photo taken May 15, 2008. Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources.
The State Water Project (SWP) is operated in a manner that protects endangered and threatened species under the State and federal endangered species acts. DWR does this in part through compliance with a permit granted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).
The permit, called the Incidental Take Permit (ITP), represents a novel but prudent way for the SWP to ensure species protection -- through science, collaboration and transparency -- while protecting water delivery to millions of Californians.
The permit, called the Incidental Take Permit (ITP), represents a novel but prudent way for the SWP to ensure species protection -- through science, collaboration and transparency -- while protecting water delivery to millions of Californians.
The ITP regulates DWR in its operation of the SWP under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), which requires DWR to minimize, avoid and fully mitigate impacts to species designated as threatened or endangered.
- Protects native fish: The ITP analyzes proposed operations of the SWP and includes measures to minimize, avoid, and fully mitigate the impacts of those operations on fish at risk of extinction.
- Provides regulatory stability: The ITP enables the continued operation of the SWP to provide water to two-thirds of California’s population over the next decade, regardless of what happens within federal agencies and federal water policies.
- Better utilizes water to meet needs: The ITP allows the SWP to capture and save water when it is available in wet years and use this water for water supply and to help fish during dry periods. It allows for more flexible pumping in wet years if certain biological safeguards are met.
- Ensures collaboration: The ITP facilitates collaboration between the State’s fish protection agency (DFW) and water supply agency (DWR) to adaptatively manage the SWP and learn from new science to improve protections of endangered fish.
- Ensures water flows to aid fish survival and provides flexibility to use this water when fish need it most. Includes the ability to carry over water from wetter years to use as outflow during drier years.
- Sets clear limits on Delta pumping that can take place during storm events.
- Requires DWR and DFW to collaboratively assess operations according to scientific monitoring, updated modeling, and quantitative analyses.
- Gives DFW final decision-making authority to restrict operations that harm endangered species
- Creates new tidal marsh habitat to improve ecosystem conditions.
- Requires targeted actions to protect species, including improved habitat conditions in the Suisun Marsh during the summer to support delta smelt, installation of a new barrier in the South Delta to improve the survival of migrating juvenile salmon, and several specific actions to protect longfin smelt which are not protected under the federal ESA.
- Provides over $10 million per year in new funding to implement a comprehensive adaptive management program, which includes mitigation projects and scientific research.
DWR intends to ensure that operation of the State Water Project meets state environmental protections and standards which, in some respects, are stricter than federal standards. The ITP represents a nimble and sophisticated way to protect species. Some of the improvements for species protection include the following:
- Specific rules for real-time operations including a cap on exports during storm events.
- Vesting authority in CDFW over some operational changes, shifting risk away from species.
- New, quantitative analyses and newer science, including updated modeling, to more fully describe the creation of habitat in summer and fall to support delta smelt.
- Adaptive management to provide for greater transparency around decision making, real-time operations, financial commitments and monitoring protocols.
- Specific commitments for the four species protected under CESA Delta Smelt, Longfin Smelt, Winter-run Chinook Salmon, and Spring-run Chinook Salmon.
ITP Annual Status Report:
2022:
- ITP Annual Status Report: Water Year 2022
- ITP WY2022 Annual Status Report Appendix A: Salvage Data
- ITP WY2022 Annual Status Report Appendix B (*Note: Document is available upon request)
- ITP WY2022 Annual Status Report Appendix C: OMRI and OMR
2021:
- ITP Annual Status Report: Water Year 2021
- ITP WY2021 Annual Status Report Appendix A: Salvage Data
- ITP WY2021 Annual Status Report Appendix B (*Note: Document is available upon request)
- ITP WY2021 Annual Status Report Appendix C: OMR and OMRI Comparison Data
2020:
- ITP Annual Status Report: Water Year 2020
- ITP WY2020 Annual Status Report Appendix A: Salvage Data
- ITP WY2020 Annual Status Report Appendix B: B-BSPP Sediment and Weed Removal
- ITP WY2020 Annual Status Report Appendix C: OMR Comparison
- ITP WY2020 Annual Status Report Appendix D: Operations to ITP Condition
ITP Spring-Run Chinook Salmon Juvenile Production Estimates:
- ITP Spring-run Chinook Salmon Juvenile Production Estimate - Core Team Decision Charter 2022-07
- ITP Spring-run Chinook Salmon Juvenile Production Estimate Data Management Strategy 2022-10-01
- ITP Spring-Run Chinook Salmon Juvenile Production Estimate Science Plan 2020-2024
- Spring-Run Chinook Salmon JPE Run Identification Program Research and Initial Monitoring Plan - November, 2023 Update
Longfin Smelt Science Plan 2020-2030
Incidental Take Permit for Long-term Operation of the State Water Project
Final EIR for State Water Project Long-term Operations
Water Year 2022
- Attachment 1 – Modeled Forecast Results for the April Drought Plan
- Attachment 2 – Drought Ecosystem Monitoring & Synthesis Plan 2021-2023
- Attachment 3 – Draft Emergency Drought Barrier Effectiveness Report
- Attachment 1 - Modeled Forecast Results for the 2022 Drought Action Plan
- Attachment 2 - Drought Ecosystem Monitoring and Synthesis Plan, 2021-2023
Water Year 2021
2021 Drought and Dry Year Actions Report
- Addendum to the State Water Project and Central Valley Project Drought Contingency Plan (September 27, 2021)
- Addendum to the State Water Project and Central Valley Project Drought Contingency Plan (August 31, 2021)
- Addendum to the State Water Project and Central Valley Drought Contingency Plan (July 30, 2021)
In the past, DWR obtained coverage for SWP operations under CESA by securing a consistency determination from DFW based on the federal BiOps. In February 2019, State agencies confirmed they would for the first time pursue a separate state permit to ensure SWP’s compliance with CESA. This permit would be developed without need to rely on federal permits and utilize transparent, science-based guidelines to establish rules to protect endangered and threatened fish species.
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A team of DWR scientists are working with federal and state partners to embrace the challenge of overseeing the implementation of one of the most complex endangered species permits in California history.
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