SWRCB Bay-Delta Hearings

On December 29, 1999 the State Water Resources Control Board issued Decision 1641, which addresses specific proposed agreements between water agencies that impact water quality and water rights requirements of the Bay-Delta Estuary. Minor modifications were made to these agreements, with most changes slightly favoring SWP operations in terms of meeting water quality objectives in the Suisun Marsh and South Delta.

However, as part of the ruling, the Control Board made mandatory the Department and the U.S. Bureau’s voluntary compliance with Delta outflow standards. The order required DWR and the USBR to maintain their respective outflow standards until November 30, 2001 or until the Board adopts a further decision during its water rights hearings. DWR, along with other water agencies, then filed a petition for reconsideration, which requested that order be removed because the order is premature and was not discussed during Phases I to VII of the Board’s hearings that resulted in D1641. However the petition was denied and is now in litigation. DWR continues to voluntarily meet the outflow standards

Phase 8 of the SWRCB’s hearings began in August and is still in progress. These hearings will allocate responsibility for water quality standards among all water diverters from the Bay-Delta Estuary. The resulting decisions will have a critical impact on SWP and CVP operations in the Delta.
Delta