California's Water Plan Under Scrutiny: Environmental Concerns Emerge

An environmentalist is criticizing a proposed California water plan as being worse than Donald Trump's version in terms of how much damage will be done to endangered fish in the area. This criticism arises during a crucial time as the Joe Biden and Governor Gavin Newsom administrations work on a revision of the water operations plan for California's major Delta water conveyance projects. The State Water Project (SWP) and the Central Valley Project, which serve millions of Californians and vast areas of farmland, are central to this debate.

In 2019, the Trump administration introduced a plan that aimed to increase water pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta specifically for agricultural needs. This approach was welcomed by farmers facing California's long-standing water scarcity and drought challenges. However, environmentalists voiced their concerns about the potential adverse effects on endangered fish species in the Delta, despite assurances from federal biological opinions.

The current proposal from the DWR and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation seeks to address these concerns by creating a new operational plan. Yet, critics argue that this plan mirrors the previous administration's shortcomings. Jon Rosenfield, science director at San Francisco Baykeeper, expressed skepticism, stating, "You'd think it would be at least as good as the one the [state] sued over—but it's not." His remarks highlight the ongoing tension between water management for human needs and the protection of vital ecosystems in California.

As debates continue and the final environmental review approaches, the impact of these water plans on endangered species remains a pivotal concern for environmental advocates and state officials alike.