Information about the Bay Delta Conservation Plan Yolo County Water - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Information about the Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Yolo County Water Resources Association

April 13, 2009

It is a major challenge

to restore an ecosystem in an environment like the Delta…

BDCP Background

Where are we today?

Pelagic Organism Decline ESA lawsuits re: delta smelt and salmon Additional species candidates for listing Drought

Sacramento Sacramento SWP Pumps SWP Pumps SWP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps

Court actions to Protect Smelt Court actions to Protect Smelt Court actions to Protect Smelt

Reduce pumping if smelt are in this zone Reduce pumping if Reduce pumping if smelt are in this zone smelt are in this zone

What is the BDCP?

ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP Project mitigation, species by species Project mitigation, species by species Multiple species, contributes to recovery Long term

Conservation Strategy

Identifies specific actions to meet the objectives

• f the plan, including

species recovery and habitat restoration Based on best available science

Conservation Strategy

Identifies specific actions to meet the objectives

• f the plan, including

species recovery and habitat restoration Based on best available science

ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP

+

Multiple species, contribute to recovery, long- term

What is the BDCP?

Funding Implementation Plan Governance Adaptive Management Funding Implementation Plan Governance Adaptive Management

ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP

+ +

Conservation Strategy Multiple species, contribute to recovery, long- term

What is the BDCP?

ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP

+ + +

Plan to implement a conservation strategy that contributes to recovery of species

• ver time in exchange

for project permits Plan to implement a conservation strategy that contributes to recovery of species

• ver time in exchange

for project permits

Conservation Strategy Aspects of implementation Multiple species, contribute to recovery, long- term

What is the BDCP?

What is the BDCP?

ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP

+ + + =

Conservation Strategy Aspects of implementation Conservation Plan Multiple species, contribute to recovery, long- term

• Delta smelt
• Longfin smelt
• Chinook salmon

– winter, spring, fall and late fall

• Green and white sturgeon
• Central valley steelhead
• Sacramento splittail

Covered Species

Identifying Conservation Measures

BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

FOR COVERED AQUATIC SPECIES Survival Fitness Distribution Growth rate Mortality HABITAT CONSERVATION ACTIONS Phytoplankton and zooplankton (fish food) Spawning and rearing OTHER STRESSORS CONSERVATION ACTIONS

Contaminants Predation effects Fish passage Disease Non-natives Harvest

WATER OPERATIONS CONSERVATION ACTIONS

Water quality Entrainment Water flow and habitat conditions

How Water Currently Flows Across the Delta How Water Water Currently Flows Across the Delta

1 1 1 San Joaquin River San San Joaquin Joaquin River River 2 2 2 Sac River Reverses Sac River Sac River Reverses Reverses 3 3 3

SWP Pumps SWP Pumps SWP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps

Sac River Sac River

– Delta Cross Channel Delta Cross Channel – – Mokelumne Mokelumne River River – – Old & Middle River Old & Middle Rivers

South Delta South Delta River Reversals River Reversals

Ocean/Tidal

High salinity

Ocean/Tidal Ocean/Tidal

High salinity High salinity

How Water Would Get Across the Delta with the BDCP How Water Would Get Across the Delta with the BDCP

Sac River Sac River

– Delta Cross Channel Delta Cross Channel – – Mokelumne Mokelumne River River – – Old & Middle River Old & Middle Rivers 1 1 1 San Joaquin River San San Joaquin Joaquin River River 2 2 2 Greater Positive Outflows to Bay Greater Greater Positive Positive Outflows Outflows to Bay to Bay 3 3 3

SWP Pumps SWP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps

Ocean/Tidal

High salinity

Ocean/Tidal Ocean/Tidal

High salinity High salinity

Identifying conservation measures

Habitat

restoration

Conveyance

and Flow

Floodplain Habitat Restoration

• Modify Fremont Weir operations to

increase frequency and duration of Yolo Bypass inundation

• 30-45 days in late winter/spring (Jan

– mid-May)

• 2,000-4,000 cubic feet per second
• Inundation area in the range of

23,000 – 29,000 acres Freshwater Intertidal Marsh Habitat Restoration

• Shallow subtidal aquatic, and

transitional grassland habitat within Yolo Bypass/Cache Slough

• Range of acreage restoration 5,000-

10,000 Biological Rationale

• Splittail spawning and rearing habitat
• Salmonid rearing habitat
• Food production and food/nutrient

export to downstream habitats

• Improve upstream passage for

salmonids and sturgeon

• Restored habitats for other

floodplain- and intertidal marsh-associated species

Implementation Considerations

• Flood control
• Impacts to existing land use

– Agricultural activities & upland forage value – Hunting – School programs, wildlife viewing

• Financial impacts to county tax base and refuge income
• Methylmercury production
• Vector control
• Sacramento River water quality
• Plants & wildlife

Coordination & Integration Issues

• Governance & implementation
• Multiple species needs

– Ongoing coordination to better understand the function of proposed conservation measures in overall conservation strategy – Required to mitigate

• Advance local planning efforts
• Adjacent property owners

Terrestrial Species

BDCP is currently evaluating potential impacts to more than 50 plant and wildlife species in its planning area

Identifying Conservation Measures

• Identified approximately 50 individual

conservation measures for further analysis

• Terrestrial species measures under development

Go to: www.resources.ca.gov/bdcp

Overview of the BDCP Draft Conservation Strategy – 1-12-09 Water Operations Conservation Measures – First Draft, 10-31-08 Habitat Restoration Conservation Measures – Third Draft, 10-31-08 Other Stressors Conservation Measures – Third Draft, 10-31-08

Opportunities for Input

March 2009 Mid 2009 Dec 2009 Dec 2010 June 2010

Scoping Meetings Draft EIR/EIS Final EIR/EIS

Record of Decision

Ongoing Outreach 1st Draft BDCP Public Review Draft BDCP Final BDCP

Permit Decisions

Statewide public meetings

• Secretary Chrisman
• Community

presentations

• Working Group
• Steering Committee

Ongoing

Public Workshops

Statewide public meetings Statewide public meetings Statewide public meetings Statewide public meetings