California Water Fix Coalition
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California Water Fix Coalition Points of Agreement
Points of Agreement
The following are the agreements that form the basis of the policy and action recommendations embodied in the Water Fix Policy Paper.
1.
California precipitation, averaged over a long-term period, provides sufficient water to meet reasonable needs for drinking water, ecosystem protection, and economic uses. The problem is that precipitation is highly variable year-to-year and current infrastructure is unable to capture available surpluses in wetter periods to help carry the state through drought.
California precipitation, averaged over a long-term period, provides sufficient water to meet reasonable needs for drinking water, ecosystem protection, and economic uses. The problem is that precipitation is highly variable year-to-year and current infrastructure is unable to capture available surpluses in wetter periods to help carry the state through drought. 2.The water resources of the state, including surface and groundwater, need to be managed more efficiently and in a more integrated way to achieve multiple benefits. California’s aquatic ecosystems are highly stressed and/or collapsing, in part due to flow alteration, loss of physical habitat, introduction of non-native species, and pollution caused by human activity.
The water resources of the state, including surface and groundwater, need to be managed more efficiently and in a more integrated way to achieve multiple benefits. California’s aquatic ecosystems are highly stressed and/or collapsing, in part due to flow alteration, loss of physical habitat, introduction of non-native species, and pollution caused by human activity. 3.All parties want to achieve the co-equal goals, while protecting and enhancing the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place.
All parties want to achieve the co-equal goals, while protecting and enhancing the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place. 4.The current water system does not and cannot achieve the co-equal goals because it does not offer the flexibility to store water when it is abundant and move it to where it is needed when it is needed in a way that is consistent with the achievement of the co-equal goals. Improved water management and water use efficiency in all regions is necessary to help balance needs of the Delta.
The current water system does not and cannot achieve the co-equal goals because it does not offer the flexibility to store water when it is abundant and move it to where it is needed when it is needed in a way that is consistent with the achievement of the co-equal goals. Improved water management and water use efficiency in all regions is necessary to help balance needs of the Delta. 5.Improved Delta conveyance alone will not address the co-equal goals; a comprehensive plan of integrated actions is required to achieve them.
Improved Delta conveyance alone will not address the co-equal goals; a comprehensive plan of integrated actions is required to achieve them.6.Moving water through the Delta is complex and highly controversial. All of us agree that the status quo on conveyance is not sustainable. Some of us think that Improved Through-Delta Conveyance alone can be the solution. Others of us conclude that Dual Conveyance, which includes both Through-Delta Conveyance and a new isolated component, is necessary. To resolve the longstanding conflicts regarding conveyance, measures to improve through-Delta conveyance and investments in new storage to improve flexibility of water operations and water management should be pursued expeditiously while dual conveyance continues through its decision process.
Moving water through the Delta is complex and highly controversial. All of us agree that the status quo on conveyance is not sustainable. Some of us think that Improved Through-Delta Conveyance alone can be the solution. Others of us conclude that Dual Conveyance, which includes both Through-Delta Conveyance and a new isolated component, is necessary. To resolve the longstanding conflicts regarding conveyance, measures to improve through-Delta conveyance and investments in new storage to improve flexibility of water operations and water management should be pursued expeditiously while dual conveyance continues through its decision process.7.Improved water management and a sustained commitment to continuous improvement in water use efficiency in all regions are necessary to increase system flexibility and reduce conflicts resulting from scarcity.
Improved water management and a sustained commitment to continuous improvement in water use efficiency in all regions are necessary to increase system flexibility and reduce conflicts resulting from scarcity. 8.Protection and enhancement of headwaters areas is needed to increase retention, contribute to system flexibility, and adapt to climate change.
Protection and enhancement of headwaters areas is needed to increase retention, contribute to system flexibility, and adapt to climate change. 9.It is vitally important that the proposed system solution consider the economic interests of every affected region and costs are allocated based on the benefits received, including general public benefits, e.g., environmental enhancement and meeting drinking water needs of disadvantaged communities.
It is vitally important that the proposed system solution consider the economic interests of every affected region and costs are allocated based on the benefits received, including general public benefits, e.g., environmental enhancement and meeting drinking water needs of disadvantaged communities. 10.Any solution to achieve the co-equal goals must be developed consistent with the public trust, state and federal environmental requirements, water rights, and area of origin protections.
Any solution to achieve the co-equal goals must be developed consistent with the public trust, state and federal environmental requirements, water rights, and area of origin protections.The participants and supporters support the “Points of Agreement” listed below and urge the Governor, the President, the California Legislature, the California Congressional delegation, and Federal officials to provide leadership, direction, and accountability to ensure a comprehensive “Water Fix” for California is implemented consistent with the Points of Agreement and the integrated actions described in the Water Fix Policy Paper. A comprehensive “Water Fix” plan would propel the Governor’s California Water Action Plan into actual “action,” with specific actions, timetables, funding sources, assurances, and accountability provisions. The conveners and participants have worked together to address this challenge and will continue to work with each other, within our organizations, and with others to advance coordinated, comprehensive actions for the state. At stake are California’s environment, economy, and quality of life and their value to the nation.
Water Fix Policy Paper
