Governor Brown, along with other state and federal officials, announced this week a new approach for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The revised approach is known as California EcoRestore and California WaterFix (Alternative A4), and replaces the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP).
California Ecorestore will pursue 30,000 plus acres of fish and wildlife habitat restoration over the next five years. Proposition 1 funds and other state public dollars will be directed for public benefits unassociated with any regulatory compliance responsibilities. California WaterFix will include ~2,100 acres of habitat restoration to mitigate for the construction and operation of new water facilities. These costs will be paid for by water agencies benefiting from the project.
California WaterFix proposes two 40 foot tunnels up to 150 feet below ground with three new intakes, each with 3,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) capacity. The tunnel option and intake design has been refined to make various changes to the previous BDCP proposal. California WaterFix will be available for public comment through a Recirculated Draft EIR/Supplemental EIS expected to be released late June 2015.
According to Administration officials it is anticipated that the environmental permitting process for the twin tunnels will be completed in April 2016. A fact sheet on California EcoRestore and California WaterFix can be accessed here.