The Water Renaissance Plan (the Plan), published May 2026, is a new 27-page proposal for a sustainable water future for California. It was developed by a coalition of entities that include California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Defenders of Wildlife, Friends of the River, Golden State Salmon Association, LA Waterkeeper, Resource Renewal Institute, Restore the Delta, San Francisco Baykeeper, Sierra Club California, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, and Yosemite Rivers Alliance. To date, the Plan has now been endorsed by 28 organizations.
The major thrust of the Plan is to develop alternative water supplies for urban areas in southern California. The Plan offers a path away from importing water from northern California. High levels of exports from northern parts of the state harm native species of fish, other flora and fauna, and northern California communities.
The solution that the Plan offers is to develop local water projects, particularly in southern California. Investments in water infrastructure in the south state would generate jobs for southern California communities. It would offer them more potential to sell municipal bonds. It would also ensure that northern California communities are able to retain more water in their streams and rivers.
The Plan is meant to be a guide for advocacy. Advocates can use the material in the document to share information or to discuss ideas with federal and state lawmakers, local leaders, water districts, and friends and neighbors.
The Plan is an alternative to costly and divisive fights over grand proposals such as the Sites Reservoir and the proposed tunnel under the Delta. Northern and southern California cities, counties, and water districts do not need to spend their time and resources locked in a battle over shuttling water away from distant sources. The Plan encourages communities in drier parts of the state, like the Inland Empire, to develop local water infrastructure and sources, rather than attempt to take water from northern California rivers.
The Plan promotes increasing communities’ resilience. It also urges spending limited economic resources wisely, on the most reliable local projects, especially during moments of economic instability. Learn more at: http://www.cawaterrenaissance.org.
Mono Lake, a saline soda lake in Mono County, has fared poorly for decades. This is because substantial amounts of water in streams that fill the lake are extracted for use in Los Angeles. Image: Norm Hughes, California Department of Water Resources