About Us

      Established in 1984 Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to education & outreach on water issues Regional leader on water policy Spans Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, Ventura & Kern Counties Diverse membership representing water, business, local government, agriculture & labor Regional base; statewide influence

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta:

California’s Water Epicenter

Distribution Center for California’s Water Supply

Levees for channeling flows Pumps for moving water to cities and farms Drinking water for 25 million Californians Irrigation water for millions of acres of prime farmland Clean water for businesses and industries statewide

A Threatened Natural Resource

Largest estuary on the West Coast 95% of original wetlands erased by levees Home to 750 species of wildlife and plants Invasive species plaguing the estuary Fragile native fish populations

Long-Standing Communities

500,000 acres of farmland, vineyards and orchards Popular boating, windsurfing and ecotourism center Home to 515,000 people Corridor for key utility lines and railways

A Vulnerable & Incomplete System

    Past generations invested in a network of dams, aqueducts and pumps to move water around the state 100-year-old man-made levee system is old and fragile Much of the land has subsided below sea level Future sea level rise and changing weather patterns will put greater pressure on the levees

“California

must implement

a science based plan to ensure safe and adequate water supplies while addressing the

severe challenges

facing the Delta.” -Governor Jerry Brown

Due to political conflicts, forced to rely on a vulnerable system Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Joaquin Valley, Inland Empire, San Diego and Central Coast all depend on this critical lifeline.

Major Earthquake

According to the CA Department of Water Resources : - Levees collapse - Loss of lives - Seawater rushes in; contaminates fresh water Water deliveries interrupted for up to 1 ½ years - Up to $40 billion in economic damage - Require $2.3 billion in repairs

How likely is a major earthquake (6.7 magnitude) to hit Northern California?

U.S. Geological Survey predicts Bay Area has a

63% chance

of experiencing a major earthquake in the next 30 years

It is not an issue of

IF

It is an issue of

WHEN...

“ Should the Delta levees

fail

, the consequences are likely to be sudden and

catastrophic

for local residents, landowners, Delta species, and water exporters.” -

Public Policy Institute of California

We can act

now

...

Survival Kit for the Delta: Bay Delta Conservation Plan

 Would be one of California’s largest public works and environmental restoration projects  Cooperative effort between federal and state agencies, public water agencies, leading scientists and key environmental groups

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Two Vital Goals

Restoring water supplies and reliability Preserving and enhancing the environment for fish, wildlife and people

Redesigning the System

   Significant habitat restoration New conveyance facility to protect water supply and environment   Moves portion of freshwater supply under or around the Delta, separating from fragile ecosystem Engineered to withstand earthquakes, floods and changes in sea level Operated under nation’s toughest environmental standards

New Water Conveyance

Several Options Under Review

Tunnel System • Under the Delta • Varying capacities under study • 35 miles in length Canal System • Open air canal • Alignment east of the Delta • 42 miles in length

A retrofit of the existing system that secures it from risk of flood, earthquake and sea level rise in the Delta is the most sensible approach

Widespread Benefits For People

     Water supply protected from earthquakes, floods and sea level rise —restores reliability Dependable, clean water supply for communities Improved water quality Stability for California’s $35B agricultural industry Security for varied economic sectors

Benefits For The Environment

      Protection of endangered fish Enhancement and preservation of 113,000 acres Natural floodplains restored Returns more natural flow patterns to the Delta Creation and protection of wetlands Better control of non-native species

Investing In The Seismic Retrofit

  Project is prudent, affordable & urgently needed Cost of the water conveyance project would be covered by public water agencies    ~$10 billion Project would be financed over many years No state general fund dollars involved  Broader funding sources, including potentially voter approved bonds, would pay for environmental improvements

An Investment Long Overdue

$$$ ¢

Tough Times in the Golden State

2nd highest unemployment in the nation 2.1 million unemployed One out of three unemployed have been jobless for a year or more

UC Berkeley study shows the tunnel construction alone would create

130,000 new jobs

during 7-year period

“…This is the moment to push

forward

with solutions, apply the best science available, and build a water

future

for California…” -Ken Salazar, U.S. Secretary of the Interior

“…The

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

has long seemed to me to be the

best hope

for ‘peace on the river’: water supply reliability and restoration of the ecosystem.” -U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein

Here’s How YOU Can Help

       Send a support letter to the Governor and Legislature Publish an article in your newsletter Post a banner link to this program on your web site Submit an opinion editorial or commentary to your local newspapers Link to this program in your social media outlets Distribute our brochure and other materials to your membership Invite SCWC to speak at your regional conferences/events

For more information:

Southern California Water Committee www.socalwater.org

State Water Contractors www.swc.org

Bay Delta Conservation Plan www.baydeltaconservationplan.com