Category Archives: Water Rights

Newsom’s 2023 California Water Plan: Supplying Imaginary Water to Meet an Insatiable Demand

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

On April 2, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the release of the 2023 update of the California Water Plan (Water Plan). Governor Newsom announced the Water Plan at a press conference held at Phillips Station in the high Sierra, just … Continue reading →

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

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Sarah Vardaro

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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Sites Reservoir: Fast-Tracking and Greenwashing a Huge Water Development

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Sarah Vardaro

In the summer of 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 149 into law. This bill gave the Governor the power to fast-track infrastructure projects deemed beneficial to the state of California’s bid to create a climate-resilient future. On November 6th, … Continue reading →

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Groundwater Gold Rush

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Chris Shutes

The groundwater gold rush is on.  New projects to divert rivers for groundwater recharge are popping up across the state.  Most of these projects are temporary, but most also explicitly foresee long-term, permanent projects.  These recharge projects threaten to divert … Continue reading →

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CSPA, Friends of the River, and Allies Protest Water Rights for Proposed Sites Reservoir

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Chris Shutes

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and Friends of the River (FOR) led a coalition of environmental groups and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe in a protest of the water right application for the proposed Sites Reservoir.  CSPA filed the protest … Continue reading →

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Chris Shutes – Recipient of 2023 Mark Dubois Award from Friends of the River

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Cindy Charles

Chris Shutes, Executive Director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, was a recipient of the 2023 Mark Dubois Award at the California River Awards held on April 21, 2023 at the City Club in San Francisco.  Friends of the River … Continue reading →

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Reckless Water Transfer Would Further Jeopardize Fisheries in 2021 & 2022

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Cindy Charles

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network, and AquAlliance filed comments to the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) on July 16, 2021 in opposition to the proposed water transfer of up to 100,000 acre-feet of … Continue reading →

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CSPA Protests State Water Board’s Protection of Irrigated Agriculture at the Expense of Fisheries and the Environment

Posted on June 6, 2021 by Bill Jennings

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and allies have vigorously protested two recent actions by the State Water Resources Control Board that virtually ensure a repeat of the last drought, when the Board’s disastrous decisions decimated multiple year classes of … Continue reading →

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The First Law of Holes Is: Stop Digging.

Posted on February 6, 2020 by Chris Shutes

Water in California is overallocated and overappropriated.  Too much is promised, too much is delivered, and not enough is left in rivers and in the ground.  The result is ecosystem collapse, sinking land and dry wells, and dying communities in … Continue reading →

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Calaveras River Plan Takes 14 Years to Keep All the Water

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Chris Shutes

On November 14, 2019, CSPA filed comments critical of a new Habitat Conservation Plan for the Calaveras River and also filed comments critical of a supporting environmental review document.[1]   Stockton East Water District (Stockton East) and the National Marine Fisheries … Continue reading →

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Opposing AB 313 – Negatively Effects State Water Control Board Water Rights Hearings

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Cindy Charles

On July 5th, CSPA joined with other environmental organizations in opposing AB 313 which would impede the orderly administration of water rights in California. It threatens water rights holders, California’s rivers and fisheries and the communities and jobs that depend … Continue reading →

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

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Bill Jennings

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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CSPA Joins With Others in Protesting Westland’s Lobbyist Appointment as Deputy Secretary of Interior

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Bill Jennings

The Trump Administration has appointed David Bernhardt as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Interior. Mr. Bernhardt was a former Interior Solicitor and has been a lobbyist for Westlands Water District. He is a registered lobbyist for Westlands and a … Continue reading →

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Broad Coalition Says Hit the Brakes on Centennial Dam

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Chris Shutes

CSPA has joined a broad coalition in recommending that the Army Corps of Engineers delay work on an Environmental Impact Statement for Centennial Dam, proposed for construction by Nevada Irrigation District on the Bear River near Colfax.  A Comment Letter … Continue reading →

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CSPA Submits Rebuttal Testimony in Part I of WaterFix Hearing

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Bill Jennings

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance et al. (CSPA, CWIN and AquAlliance) joined the County of San Joaquin and Local Agencies of the North Delta in submitting rebuttal testimony in Part I of the State Water Resource Control Board’s (SWRCB) evidentiary … Continue reading →

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Chris Shutes Named “Restorationist of the Year”

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Chris Shutes

The Salmonid Restoration Federation (https://www.calsalmon.org/) named Chris Shutes – me – “Restorationist of the Year” on the concluding day of its 2017 annual conference in Davis.  It is recognition that I did not expect and that I value very greatly. … Continue reading →

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Sites Reservoir: Many Promises, Many Problems

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Chris Shutes

On November 17, 2016, CSPA’s Water Rights Advocate Chris Shutes joined a panel discussion on the proposed Sites Reservoir.  The panel was held at a conference in Chico produced by the north state non-profit AquAlliance, and also featured Jim Watson … Continue reading →

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CSPA and Allies Protest Water Rights Application for Big New Dam

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Chris Shutes

CSPA and allied groups in the Foothills Water Network (FWN) filed an extensive protest of Nevada Irrigation District’s (NID) application to construct a large new dam on the Bear River near Colfax.  FWN protested the application for “Centennial Reservoir” on … Continue reading →

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CSPA Submits Testimony and Exhibits for State Water Board Hearings on Delta Tunnels

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Bill Jennings

CSPA is a formal protestant and party of record in the continuing battle over the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) scheme to construct twin tunnels to divert the Sacramento River under the Delta to … Continue reading →

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CSPA Objects to Reduced San Joaquin River Flows

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Chris Shutes

CSPA and allied groups California Water Impact Network and AquAlliance have filed an Objection to an April 19, 2016 Order that allows reductions of April-June flows in the lower San Joaquin River from the flows required in Water Rights Decision … Continue reading →

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