Independent research and analysis of California's developed water systems
The Delta tunnel Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has a new Sea Level Rise Study in Technical Appendix 5A-F. The study was done with Bay-Delta SCHISM, a 3-D hydrodynamic model of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. The new SCHISM study has limitations, in that it assumes that Delta levees are raised to keep up … Continue reading Delta tunnel — Inconvenient truths about sea level rise and salinity intrusion
On June 8, 2022, DWR’s Director, Karla Nemeth, made a presentation on the Delta tunnel project to the Delta Independent Science Board (Delta ISB), with several of the scientists who had worked on the project. She said that she supported the Delta ISB’s review of the project. But unlike the twin tunnels project, the Department … Continue reading Delta ISB review of Delta tunnel project proceeding under huge time pressure
The single tunnel project was supposed to be redesigned to limit impacts on Delta legacy communities and fish. But many of the bad design decisions from the previous project have been kept. The most glaring examples are the enormous, 3,000 cfs intakes, which were carried over from the twin tunnels project. Dave Vogel wrote about … Continue reading Thoughts on DWR’s Delta Conveyance Webinar on Fisheries
On February 18, 2021 the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (“DCA”) adopted new bylaws which allow the Executive Director to be a "member entity" staff person. On March 9, 2021, the DCA met in closed session to consider employment of the current Executive Director, Kathryn Mallon. Mallon is working under a 5 year contract … Continue reading Delta Tunnel: DCA’s new bylaws allow MWD staff person to be Executive Director
The new Board of Directors for the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority ("DCA") has called a special meeting for Tuesday, March 9th from 3-5 pm. The closed session agenda lists the following items with regard to the DCA's Executive Director, Kathryn Mallon: (a) Public Employee Performance Evaluation (b) Public Employment (c) Conference with Labor … Continue reading Delta Tunnel: MWD executives in labor negotiations with DCA Executive Director
Environmental groups have been strongly critical of the Department of Water Resources’ “blank check” Delta Program Revenue Bond / General Bond Resolution.. The General Bond Resolution is expected to fund Governor Newsom's Delta tunnel project, which is currently estimated to cost $15.9 billion. The State Water Contractors have countered that DWR is simply "validating its … Continue reading “General Bond Resolution” could fund twin tunnels project in stages
On June 18, 2020, the Department of Water Resources submitted an application to the US Army Corps of Engineers for a Section 404 Clean Water Act permit for the Delta tunnel. Getting federal permits for the Delta tunnel is complicated by Attorney General Becerra's lawsuit over the Bureau of Reclamation’s new Long-Term Operations for the … Continue reading Delta tunnel: DWR plans for ESA consultation under Trump administration
It is unclear whether land will be acquired for the Delta tunnel project before the Final Environmental Impact Report and Notice of Determination under CEQA.
The DCA's plan to conduct Delta Stakeholder Engagement Committee meetings by web conference during what is likely to be the height of the pandemic in California simply fails to consider the very real impacts on Delta communities.
The Senior Planning Manager of the WaterFix project has been the president of an obscure company in Idaho called 5RMK.... This kind of risk management is a common arrangement for construction of oil and gas pipelines.