An important week in CA water: the Feds take on the Bay-Delta Crisis

Ann Hayden is a Senior Water Resource Analyst at EDF.

We know that the Feds have been paying close attention to the crisis in the Bay Delta over the past few months—from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's tours of the Central Valley, to Central Valley Congressman Devin Nunes' failed attempts to weaken the Endangered Species Act. But we're happy to hear several key announcements this week solidifying the Delta as a focus of the federal agenda.

The National Academy of Sciences announced its 15-member review of recent biological opinions in the Bay Delta officially called "Sustainable Water and Environmental Management in the California Bay Delta." EDF is pleased with the caliber of scientists appointed to the council and we think they'll be asking the right questions to ensure the resilience of the Delta ecosystem and the fish species like salmon that are currently at risk of extinction.

Today, Obama administration officials announced their Action Plan to address the problems in the Bay-Delta–the operative word here is 'action'. While we have not had enough time to thoroughly review the plan, we like its four main areas of focus:

1. "Work in concert with the State of California and local authorities in producing the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP)"
2. "To encourage smarter supply and use of Bay-Delta water" with an emphasis on promoting good water transfers and implementing solid science;
3. "To ensure healthy Bay-Delta ecosystems and improve water quality"
4. "To help deliver drought relief services and ensure integrated flood risk management"

We look forward to following this Action Plan and keeping you updated on its progress. We applaud the federal government for stepping up to help find a future for the SF Bay-Delta Estuary. There is much to be learned in this process that will have far reaching implications for the nation and beyond.