Stewardship Council OKs Its Plan For Delta

Lasting solutions may have proven elusive but the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta continues to be well stocked with studies and planning efforts, with the latest having just had a last set of changes finalized.
After months of public review and revisions, the Delta Stewardship Council in late March approved final revisions to its Delta plan. That began another public comment period that is expected to lead to a Stewardship Council vote on adopting the estuary’s final management plan version in May.
Along with revisions, a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report and proposed regulations that would implement the plan’s policies were approved to reflect more than 3,000 comments received in recent months.

2½ YEAR EFFORT

“After 2½  years of arduous study, review and analysis, a comprehensive management plan for the Delta is now within reach,” said Phil Isenberg, the council’s Chairman. “We will soon be able to focus on implementing the policies and recommendations that will help achieve the state’s co-equal goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem while protecting the unique values of the Delta as an evolving place.”
The Delta Plan is intended to be a comprehensive management program, the Association of California Water agencies reported. It seeks to improve statewide water reliability and maintain a vibrant and healthy ecosystem while protecting the rural, agricultural and recreational aspects of the Delta.
The plan is to include the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) when it is completed and permitted.