Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project

Billions of gallons of water per day are channeled from northern California to drier Central and Southern California through the network of dams, canals, and other features that comprise the federal Central Valley Project (CVP), operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and the State Water Project (SWP), operated by the California Department of Water Resources. At least two thirds of California's population and more than 4 million acres of California farmland rely in whole or in part on water delivered by these projects. In addition to delivering water to meet diverse demands, the Projects must also protect six endangered fish species, including Delta smelt, longfin smelt, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, California Central Valley steelhead, and the southern distinct population segment of North American green sturgeon.

At the request of the USBR, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a committee to conduct a biennial review of the monitoring, modeling, and other relevant scientific activities of the CVP and the SWP. This first report in the series examines three actions designed to help protect the fish - the Shasta Coldwater Pool Management Action, the Old and Middle River Flow Management Action, and the Summer-Fall Habitat Action for Delta Smelt. The report evaluates the scientific basis for each of the actions, along with monitoring and modeling needs, and makes specific recommendations for strengthening each of them to help them reach their stated goals.