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Water

SFPUC Reaches Pivotal Water Deal with State

Tuolumne River

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, along with partner water agencies on the Tuolumne River, announced today that it has signed a framework agreement with the state designed to safeguard its drinking water supply while also providing more water and habitat improvements to benefit native fish species.

“We’ve always been willing to do our part to further protect natural habitats, including in times of drought,” SFPUC General Manager Dennis Herrera said. “Now we have a framework agreement that strikes the right balance.”

The deal that has been reached “safeguards the water supply for 2.7 million Bay Area residents and businesses while continuing the SFPUC’s track record of strong environmental stewardship,” Herrera noted.

“This provides a framework for improving environmental conditions on the lower Tuolumne River and beyond to benefit native fish species,” he said. “It includes more water for the river and $64 million in habitat improvement projects over eight years. It also provides a path forward to address outstanding legal issues with the State. We’re looking forward to implementing it with our partners.”

Joining San Francisco in signing the memorandum of understanding are the Turlock Irrigation District and Modesto Irrigation District, who are the senior water rights holders on the Tuolumne River. The Contra Costa Water District also signed onto the deal announced today. You can read the California Natural Resources Agency’s full press release here.

The Tuolumne water agencies and Contra Costa Water District are joining the memorandum of understanding, or MOU, signed in March between leaders of state, federal and local agencies on the Sacramento River or who are part of the state and federal water projects. That MOU outlined the terms for a transformational eight-year program to provide substantial new flows for the environment to help salmon and other native fish, create new and restored habitat for fish and wildlife, and provide significant funding for environmental improvements and water purchases.

Under the deal announced today, the SFPUC agrees to work with the state to develop enforceable agreements with actions and funding to integrate additional water flows with the physical landscape to help improve habitat for native fish in the Tuolumne River watershed.

Once finalized, the agreement will:

  • Expand benefits for native fish species and the environment while offering reasonable protections for the water supply that is vital to more than 2.7 million Bay Area residents and businesses (as well as to the other Tuolumne parties). 
  • Add flows to the San Joaquin River from all Tuolumne parties (Turlock Irrigation District, Modesto Irrigation District and City and County of San Francisco) to benefit native fish species.  These flows are in addition to the current federal requirements.
  • Implement $64 million in habitat projects within the 8-year term of the agreement to provide improved and increased habitat for native fish species.
  • Resolve technical and operational issues:
    • Clarify the Tuolumne parties are not subject to refill criteria.
    • Identify La Grange Diversion Dam (the Tuolumne parties’ lowest point of control) as Tuolumne parties’ compliance point.
    • Recognize the need to avoid temperature degradation while providing for future collaboration to address this topic.
  • Set a path forward to address the Tuolumne parties’ various litigation filings surrounding Water Quality Certification of the Don Pedro Dam FERC Relicensing and Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan via incorporation of voluntary agreement terms into the Bay-Delta Plan and subsequent implementation actions.

“Adding parties from the Tuolumne River watershed along with Contra Costa Water District is a huge point of progress in our effort to help adapt to a hotter and drier future,” California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said. “We need every tool to improve environmental conditions. This collaborative approach holds the promise to do that more quickly and holistically, while improving water reliability to communities, farms and businesses.”

More information about the SFPUC’s approach to drought and water management can be found here.