BAY DELTA CONSERVATION PLAN SEPTEMBER 2009 SUISUN BAY SACRAMENTO STOCKTON STATE & FEDERAL PUMPING PLANTS Getting Oriented The Delta BDCP Overview Science-based, long-term conservation plan promoting recovery of fish species and Delta habitat while restoring reliable water supplies Follows nationally recognized habitat conservation planning process Several hundred similar plans developed across country Being developed in an open and public process Implemented throughout next 50 years One of the most ambitious and far-reaching ecosystem restoration efforts ever undertaken BDCP Objectives Comprehensive ecosystem approach provides best opportunities to recover fisheries and assure water supplies Separate water delivery system from Delta freshwater flows; new conveyance facility would bypass Delta Restore thousands of acres of habitat Restore river flows to more natural patterns Address the many other stressors impacting fish populations invasive species, pesticides, ammonia discharges, etc. BDCP - Steering Committee California Bay-Delta Authority California Natural Resources Agency California Department of Water Resources California Department of Fish & Game State Water Resources Control Board US Bureau of Reclamation US Army Corps of Engineers US Fish & Wildlife Service National Marine Fisheries Service California Farm Bureau Federation Mirant Delta Contra Costa Water District Kern County Water Agency Metropolitan Water District of So Cal North Delta Water Agency San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority Santa Clara Valley Water District Westlands Water District Zone 7 Water Agency American Rivers Defenders of Wildlife Environmental Defense Natural Heritage Institute The Bay Institute The Nature Conservancy BDCP 3 Key Components Restore Habitat Address Other Stressors Construct New Water Conveyance System BDCP - Habitat Restoration BDCP goes beyond bare-bones compliance with individual endangered species laws: it aids the recovery of numerous species at once. Comprehensive habitat restoration effort will include: Restoring up to 80,000 acres of tidal marsh, seasonally inundated floodplain and riparian habitat distributed throughout the Delta Enhancing 11,500 21,000 acres of existing seasonal floodplain habitat in the Yolo Bypass Enhancing up to 20 miles of Delta channels to create a more natural riverbank with overhanging shade, instream woody debris and shallow benches BDCP Habitat Restoration Fish grow bigger and faster in restored habitat areas than in the river itself. SACRAMENTOSACRAMENTO 9 SAN JOAQUIN RIVER STATE & FEDERAL PUMPING PLANTS SACRAMENTO RIVER STOCKTONSTOCKTON DUAL CONVEYANCE East Alignment SACRAMENTO RIVER SACRAMENTOSACRAMENTO STATE & FEDERAL PUMPING PLANTS STOCKTONSTOCKTON SAN JOAQUIN RIVER DUAL CONVEYANCE Central Tunnel Alignment BDCP Financing Several financing options being explored beneficiaries to share costs Public water agencies committed to paying for new conveyance facilities Habitat restoration funded by the public 12 DRAFT CONSERVATION STRATEGY DRAFTEIRDRAFTEIR SCOPINGMEETINGSSCOPINGMEETINGS PERMITDECISIONPERMITDECISION SIGNEDAGREEMENTSIGNEDAGREEMENT