Information about the Bay Delta Conservation Plan Yolo County Water Resources Association April 13, 2009
BDCP Background It is a major challenge to restore an ecosystem in an environment like the Delta…
Where are we today? � Pelagic Organism Decline � ESA lawsuits re: delta smelt and salmon � Additional species candidates for listing � Drought
Court actions to Protect Smelt Court actions to Protect Smelt Court actions to Protect Smelt Sacramento Sacramento Reduce pumping if Reduce pumping if Reduce pumping if smelt are in this zone smelt are in this zone smelt are in this zone SWP Pumps SWP Pumps SWP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps
What is the BDCP? Multiple species, contributes to recovery Project Project mitigation, mitigation, species by species by species species Long term ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP
What is the BDCP? Multiple species, + contribute to recovery, long- term Conservation Conservation Strategy Strategy Identifies specific actions Identifies specific actions to meet the objectives to meet the objectives of the plan, including of the plan, including species recovery and species recovery and habitat restoration habitat restoration Based on best available Based on best available scienc e scienc e ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP
What is the BDCP? Multiple species, + + Conservation contribute to Strategy recovery, long- term Funding Funding Implementation Plan Implementation Plan Governance Governance Adaptive Adaptive Management Management ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP
What is the BDCP? Multiple species, Aspects of + + + Conservation contribute to implementation Strategy recovery, long- term Plan to implement a Plan to implement a conservation strategy conservation strategy that contributes to that contributes to recovery of species recovery of species over time in exchange over time in exchange for project permits for project permits ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP
What is the BDCP? Multiple species, Aspects of + + + = Conservation contribute to implementation Conservation Plan Strategy recovery, long- term ESA - HCP NCCPA - NCCP
Covered Species • Delta smelt • Longfin smelt • Chinook salmon – winter, spring, fall and late fall • Green and white sturgeon • Central valley steelhead • Sacramento splittail
Identifying Conservation Measures BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES HABITAT FOR COVERED AQUATIC SPECIES CONSERVATION ACTIONS Survival Phytoplankton and Fitness zooplankton (fish food) Distribution Spawning and rearing Growth rate Mortality OTHER STRESSORS WATER OPERATIONS CONSERVATION ACTIONS CONSERVATION ACTIONS Contaminants Water quality Predation effects Entrainment Fish passage Water flow and Disease habitat conditions Non-natives Harvest
How Water Water Currently Flows How Water Currently Flows Across the Delta Across the Delta Sac River 1 Sac River 1 1 – Delta Cross Channel Delta Cross Channel – Mokelumne Mokelumne River River – 3 3 3 – Old & Middle River Old & Middle River s – Sac River Sac River Sac River Reverses Reverses Reverses San 2 San 2 2 San Joaquin Joaquin Joaquin Ocean/Tidal Ocean/Tidal Ocean/Tidal River River South Delta South Delta River High salinity High salinity High salinity River Reversals River Reversals SWP Pumps SWP Pumps SWP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps
How Water Would Get Across How Water Would Get Across the Delta with the BDCP the Delta with the BDCP Sac River 1 Sac River 1 1 3 3 3 – Delta Cross Channel Delta Cross Channel Greater Greater Greater – Mokelumne Mokelumne River River – Positive Positive Positive – Old & Middle River Old & Middle River s – Outflows Outflows Outflows to Bay to Bay to Bay San 2 San 2 2 San Joaquin Joaquin Joaquin River River River Ocean/Tidal Ocean/Tidal Ocean/Tidal High salinity High salinity High salinity SWP Pumps SWP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps CVP Pumps
Identifying conservation measures � Conveyance and Flow � Habitat restoration
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 Scoping Meetings Draft EIR/EIS Final EIR/EIS Statewide Statewide Statewide Record of public public public Decision meetings meetings meetings Public Review 1 st Draft BDCP Ongoing Outreach Final BDCP Draft BDCP • Secretary Chrisman Statewide Statewide • Community Permit Public presentations public public Decisions Workshops • Working Group meetings meetings • Steering Committee Ongoing Mid 2009 March 2009 Dec 2009 June 2010 Dec 2010
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