[Water_news] 1. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS - Top Item for 6/8/07

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment

 

June 8, 2007

 

1.  Top Item

 

DWR to Resume Limited Pumping While Protecting Delta Smelt

News Release, Department of Water Resources – 6/8/07

Contacts: Sue Sims, Public Affairs Office, (916) 651-7242, (916) 769-423, Ted Thomas, Public Affairs Office, (916) 653-9712

 

Sacramento - The Department of Water Resources will resume limited pumping at its Harvey O. Banks Delta pump Sunday, June 10 to meet critical water supply needs. The department will gradually resume operations at the State Water Project (SWP) pump to meet vital needs for health and safety purposes as well as for homes, businesses and farms, while still protecting the Delta smelt.

 

DWR shut down the Banks pump on May 31 to help protect threatened Delta smelt, fish that have long been thought to be indicators of the Delta ecosystem's overall health

 

"We will be pumping at bare minimum levels and tweaking our delivery system to meet the essential needs of communities in the South Bay and elsewhere," said DWR Director Lester Snow.  "We took the unprecedented action of shutting down the pump to protect Delta smelt on May 31, and we will continue to do everything we possibly can to protect the fish.  At the same time, we urge aggressive action by all responsible parties and agencies to address the non-State Water Project issues of toxics, invasive species, and other Delta diversions that stress the Delta smelt."

 

As the Delta smelt continue their seasonal migration downstream, the department on Sunday will begin slowly drawing water to its pumps from water already in Clifton Court Forebay.  During this two-day operation, no water will be diverted from the Delta into the forebay, although some Delta smelt already in the forebay may be salvaged at the Skinner Fish Protective Facility.

 

Throughout the pumping restart, DWR and the Department of Fish and Game will closely monitor Delta smelt in the area. The agencies will continue day-to-day evaluation of impact on this species to determine if pumping should continue.

 

During the first two days of resumed pumping, water will be moved from Clifton Court Forebay to Bethany Reservoir, a small reservoir that supplies the South Bay Pumping Plant.  After approximately two days of moving existing water from Clifton Court Forebay, additional Delta water will be allowed to flow in to refill the forebay.

 

It is expected that initial pumping will average about 100 cubic feet per second (cfs), about 90 percent less than is normally pumped this time of year.

 

"This is a very important wakeup call for California. We must implement Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to fix the Delta through the Strategic Growth Plan and Delta Vision process," Snow said.

 

Communities most affected by the pumping shutdown are those along the SWP's South Bay Aqueduct in Alameda and Santa Clara counties.  Water distribution agencies receiving SWP water in the area are the Alameda County Water District, Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (Zone 7), and the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

 

The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs. #

www.water.ca.gov

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