Category Archives: California Delta

Show Time: DWR Files Petition to Change Water Rights for Delta Tunnel Despite Pending Lawsuit and Widespread Opposition

On February 22, 2024, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) submitted a water rights petition for change in point of diversion to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) for the Delta Conveyance Project also known as the Delta … Continue reading

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Newsom “Strategy” Condemns Central Valley Salmon to “Hotter, Drier Future”

The “California Salmon Strategy” announced January 30, 2024 by the Newsom Administration is a tour de force of avoidance and deflection. It blows right past the single largest issue facing California’s salmon: inadequate flows into and through the Bay-Delta Estuary. … Continue reading

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More Delta Flow or Delta Tunnel? One Good Decision Will Stop the Next Bad Decision

On December 8, 2023, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued its Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for its Proposed “Delta Conveyance Project” (aka tunnel under the Delta).  In thousands of pages of responses to comments, DWR affirms that its … Continue reading

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CSPA Objects to Weakened Delta Water Quality without Strict Diversion Limits and a Ban on Transfers

On April 6, 2022, CSPA and allied organizations AquAlliance and California Water Impact Network filed a protest and objection to a “Temporary Urgency Change Petition” for April-June 2022 water operations in the Delta.  The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) … Continue reading

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The Merry-Go-Round of Denial Must Stop – Transfer of Public Trust Water to Agriculture Is On Repeat

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and allies AquAlliance and California Water Impact Network (CWIN), filed an objection on January 7, 2022  to yet another petition to weaken flow and salinity standards that protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.  The objection urges … Continue reading

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CSPA & PCFFA Urge Reversal of Harmful & Unlawful Trump Actions on the Central Valley Project

By Cindy Charles The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) sent a joint letter on February 16, 2021 to the Biden Administration and Secretary of Interior designate Debra Haaland, urging them to … Continue reading

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Landmark Lawsuit Settlement Between CSPA and State Water Board to Protect Public Trust Fisheries

On 17 July 2020, shortly before trial, CSPA and its partners, California Water Impact Network and AquAlliance, settled a contentious 2015 lawsuit against the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board).  The lawsuit alleged that the State Board had embraced … Continue reading

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CSPA, Coalition Sues Interior and Westlands Over Long-Term Water Contracts

On 8 July 2020, CSPA and a coalition of fishing organizations sued the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Westlands, San Luis and Panoche Water Districts in federal court over a series of interim water service … Continue reading

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CSPA, Coalition Sues Bureau Over Long-Term Water Transfers

On 11 May 2020, CSPA, AquAlliance, California Water Impact Network and the South and Central Delta Water Agencies filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority over the EIS/EIR … Continue reading

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CSPA, Coalition Sues Waterboards Over Grasslands Bypass Pollutant Discharges to San Joaquin River

On 5 May 2020, CSPA and a coalition of fishing and tribal groups (CSPA et al.) sued the State and Regional Water Boards, Bureau of Reclamation and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority over illegal discharges of pollutants from the … Continue reading

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CSPA Scopes Out Delta Tunnel Do-Over

CSPA has identified 69 issues that the Department of Water Resources (DWR) must confront in its forthcoming Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the new incarnation of its “Delta Conveyance” project.  Delta Conveyance means a proposed tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin … Continue reading

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CSPA and Allies Oppose another DWR Delta Boondoggle

CSPA and California Water Research submitted comments on January 6, 2020 opposing the analysis of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) of proposed future Delta operations.  The comments responded to DWR’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Long-Term Operation of … Continue reading

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A Busy End-of-Year for CSPA

As we wait for the Newsom Administration to unveil the details of its proposed Portfolio Project, with a single Delta tunnel, results of the “Voluntary Agreement” process to replace/argument the existing Water Quality Control Plan proceeding and efforts by the … Continue reading

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A Fresh Disaster for Fish – Bureau of Reclamation’s New Plan for Long-Term Operations of the CVP and SWP Water Export Business

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network and AquAlliance submitted joint comments September 3, 2019 on the Bureau of Reclamation’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the California State … Continue reading

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CSPA Wins Huge Ninth Circuit Court Victory

On 6 September 2019, CSPA joined by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Friends of the River, San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association, Institute for Fisheries Resources and Felix Smith prevailed in a major decision by the federal Ninth … Continue reading

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CSPA Submits Comments to EPA on New Selenium Criteria

CSPA and a coalition of environmental, fishing and environmental justice organizations submitted comments to U.S. EPA regarding proposed federal water quality criteria for selenium applicable to California.  A protective water quality criterion for selenium is essential not only for various … Continue reading

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CSPA Et Al. Challenges Legality of WaterFix Project Financing

On 13 September 2017, the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network, AquAlliance and the California Indian Water Commission challenged the legality of proposed bonds that will be used to pay for the construction of the Department of Water … Continue reading

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CSPA Et Al. Sues Over Delta Tunnels Environmental Documents

On 21 August 2017, the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance and a coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Department of Water Resources (DWR) over the inadequacy of its 80,000 plus page Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the WaterFix … Continue reading

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CSPA Files For Summary Judgment Against State Water Board

On 27 July 2017, the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, joined by the California Water Impact Network and AquAlliance, filed a motion for summary judgment in our pattern and practice and public trust lawsuit against the State Water Resources Control Board. … Continue reading

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CSPA, Coalition Submits Multiple Comments on Stewardship Council’s Revision of the Delta Plan

The Delta Stewardship Council is in the process of revising the Delta Plan and related environmental documents following the successful litigation by CSPA and others in vacating the previous Plan. Unfortunately, the Council is again ignoring the strict requirements for … Continue reading

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