- On Thursday, October 15, the Delta Stewardship Council heard expert testimony and public comment regarding the Revised Certification of Consistency filing from the Department of Water Resources.
- In April, the Delta Stewardship Council unanimously determined that all but two parts of the Delta Conveyance Project are consistent with the Bay Delta Plan.
- The Council “remanded” those two parts to the Department of Water Resources, requiring them to address concerns on potential land use conflicts and Golden Mussels before refiling.
- The Council is expected to determine if they will issue a Certification of Consistency for the Delta Conveyance Project by December 9, 2026.
- The State Water Contractors urge the Delta Stewardship Council to deny the appeals and affirm the Department of Water Resources’ Revised Certification.
Why it Matters?
- Before major construction can begin on the Delta Conveyance Project, the Delta Stewardship Council must issue a Certification of Consistency with the Delta Plan, due to the Delta Reform Act of 2009.
- California’s State Water Project provides foundational water supply for 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland, and the Delta Conveyance Project is urgently needed to modernize the system for a more volatile climate future.
- The Department of Water Resources’ Revised Certification includes revisions to the two remanded sections of the original filing: updating Project plans to avoid or reduce land-use conflicts and identifying innovative technologies to incorporate into the project design to address Golden Mussel concerns.
- These changes bring the project into full alignment with the coequal goals set out by the Delta Plan, advancing water supply reliability and ecosystem protection.
What’s Next?
- The Delta Stewardship Council 60 days to determine whether to issue a Certification of Consistency based on the refiling.
- In the meantime, Californians continue to be exposed to increasing risks to their water security due to aging infrastructure and dated regulations.
- Without the Delta Conveyance Project, Californians face recurring shortages, costlier replacement supplies, fallowed farmland, higher food prices and job losses.
