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| California State Water Resources Development System | |
|---|---|
| Name | California State Water Resources Development System |
| Location | California, United States |
| Built | 20th century–present |
| Governing body | California Department of Water Resources, California State Water Resources Control Board, United States Bureau of Reclamation |
California State Water Resources Development System is a statewide network of reservoirs, aqueducts, canals, pumping plants, and regulatory frameworks that distributes surface water and manages groundwater across California, linking major watersheds from the Sierra Nevada to the Central Valley and the Los Angeles Basin. The System interacts with federal projects such as the Central Valley Project and with regional projects like the Los Angeles Aqueduct, while being regulated by institutions including the California Department of Water Resources, the California State Water Resources Control Board, and federal actors like the United States Bureau of Reclamation. It is central to water delivery for urban areas such as Los Angeles County, agricultural regions such as the San Joaquin Valley, and ecological areas such as the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta.
The System comprises interconnected infrastructure including the California Aqueduct, major reservoirs such as Shasta Lake, Oroville Dam, and San Luis Reservoir, and pumping complexes like the State Water Project's Banks Pumping Plant integrated with regulatory frameworks from the California Water Code, operational oversight by the Department of Water Resources and adjudication in bodies such as the California Courts of Appeal and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. It serves metropolitan regions including San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, San Diego County, and Ventura County, supplies irrigation to agricultural centers such as Fresno County and Kern County, and supports habitat restoration in areas like Suisun Marsh and Yolo Bypass. The System interacts with federal policy instruments including the Reclamation Act and state initiatives such as the California Environmental Quality Act.
Origins trace to 19th‑century projects like the Los Angeles Aqueduct and legislative acts including early water rights adjudications in California Supreme Court, evolving through 20th‑century milestones—construction of Shasta Dam under the United States Bureau of Reclamation, creation of the State Water Project in the 1960s with Oroville Dam, and coordination with the Central Valley Project under federal‑state agreements. Major events shaping development include drought episodes referenced in California droughts, litigation such as cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and environmental policy shifts prompted by rulings in venues like the United States Supreme Court and state decisions under the California Environmental Quality Act. Political actors including governors from Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Jr. to Jerry Brown influenced funding and bond measures like California Proposition 13 (1978), while federal legislators and agencies such as members of the United States Congress and the Department of the Interior affected coordination with projects like the Central Valley Project.
Key components include long‑distance conveyance systems such as the California Aqueduct, storage facilities such as Shasta Dam, Oroville Dam, Don Pedro Reservoir, and New Melones Dam, conveyance works like the Delta–Mendota Canal and Friant Dam with the Friant-Kern Canal, and pumping and distribution facilities including Pacheco Pass Tunnel proposals and complexes tied to the State Water Project. Urban distribution interfaces involve municipal agencies like the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and regional districts such as the East Bay Municipal Utility District and Irvine Ranch Water District. Interties and exchanges with federal infrastructure include the Central Valley Project reservoirs and facilities managed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and local groundwater banking efforts coordinated with county agencies like Kern County Water Agency.
Sources comprise snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada, runoff from the Klamath River, tributaries of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River, imported supplies via the California Aqueduct, and groundwater basins in regions governed by plans under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Allocation is governed by doctrines codified in the California Water Code, permits issued by the State Water Resources Control Board, water rights adjudications in state courts such as the Sacramento County Superior Court and in federal venues like the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, and contractual allocations to agencies including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and agricultural districts like the Westlands Water District.
Daily operations are managed by the Department of Water Resources in coordination with agencies such as the State Water Contractors and the Bureau of Reclamation, incorporating forecasting from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, snow surveys by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys, and infrastructure maintenance funded via state bond measures like 2000 California Proposition 13 and federal appropriations from the United States Congress. Emergency operations during floods involve coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and local counties such as Sacramento County. Management also entails interagency planning with conservation bodies such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and water quality enforcement by the State Water Resources Control Board.
The System is central to disputes over ecosystem protection for species listed under the Endangered Species Act such as Delta smelt and Central Valley steelhead, water quality standards influenced by decisions like those of the State Water Resources Control Board, and litigation in forums including the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the California Supreme Court. Environmental programs involve restoration initiatives in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, collaborations with NGOs such as the Nature Conservancy and Sierra Club, and compliance with statutes including the California Endangered Species Act. Legal controversies encompass water rights conflicts with districts like the Westlands Water District, federal‑state allocation disputes involving the United States Bureau of Reclamation, and tribal water claims asserted by entities such as the Yurok Tribe and Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.
The System underpins agriculture in counties such as Fresno County, Kern County, and Madera County, supplies urban growth in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and San Diego, and affects industries from viticulture in Napa County to dairies in Stanislaus County. Economic outcomes are shaped by water pricing set by agencies like the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, federal subsidy patterns influenced by the United States Department of Agriculture, and state fiscal policy such as bond measures approved by the California State Legislature. Social impacts include disputes over rural versus urban allocation involving stakeholders like farmworker unions and municipal associations such as the League of California Cities, public health considerations managed by county public health departments, and tribal water sovereignty issues litigated by tribes including the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
Category:Water supply and sanitation in California