Federal agencies find California’s Delta Tunnel safe for endangered species
30 June 2017US – The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have both found the Delta Tunnel project, as proposed by the California Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation, will not harm endangered species. The greenlight from each agency on June 26 is one of many needed to build two tunnels conveying water from the north to the south Delta.
Also called the California WaterFix (CWF), the proposal would modify the point of diversion for the State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP) in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, and includes three intakes, two 35-mile-long (56km) tunnels, associated facilities, among other work; as well as operate existing south Delta facilities in coordination with these new facilities. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) coordinate the operation of the CVP and the SWP, respectively, and are also the lead agencies for the CWF. The agencies were charged with evaluating the effects of the proposed CWF on species listed under federal protection and their designated critical habitats.
NWS said in its statement, “We have concluded that WaterFix will not jeopardize threatened or endangered species, or adversely modify their critical habitat. We have documented some impacts from construction, and have worked with the Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation to develop a plan to restore habitat to minimize and mitigate those impacts.
“We also believe WaterFix will, by routing water supply through the tunnels, reduce entrainment of fish from the State and Federal water pumping facilities in the south Delta, which has been a concern in the past. In addition, we recognize that a number of future decisions will address important details related to WaterFix construction and final operations, especially the new water management operational plan for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project and habitat restoration in the Bay Delta.
NMFS’ final biological opinion concludes that construction and operations of CWF as proposed would not jeopardize the continued existence of endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, threatened spring-run Chinook salmon, threatened North American green sturgeon, threatened California Central Valley steelhead and endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales, which depend heavily on Chinook salmon for food.
“Our staff have worked diligently with our partners to make certain, through a robust scientific and technical analysis, that this project conserves listed species,” said Barry Thom, regional administrator for NMFS’ West Coast Region. "We will continue to work together to monitor the project's progress and implement adaptive management measures when necessary."
