Lower San Joaquin River and Southern Delta Update to Bay-Delta Plan

Information about implementation activities for Lower San Joaquin River flows and Southern Delta salinity is provided at the following links.

• Revised Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment and Notice of Public Workshop on the Draft Scientific Basis Report Supplement for the Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement Proposal
• Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment and Notice of Public Workshop on the Draft Scientific Basis Report Supplement for the Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement Proposal (Superseded by the Revised Notice above)
  • Draft Scientific Basis Report Supplement for the Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement Proposal
  • Accounting Spreadsheet: April 2025 | July 2025 (Available on Request)
  • Modeling Files (Available on Request)
  • Public Comments (Available on Request)
  • Workshop Materials
  • Video
  • Staff Presentation
  • Public Presentations (Available on Request)
  • California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
  • Golden State Salmon Association
  • Friends of the River and San Francisco Baykeeper
  • Turlock Irrigation District, Modesto Irrigation District, and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission 1 | 2
  • Yosemite Rivers Alliance
• April 11, 2023 – Notice of Preparation of Environmental Documentation and Scoping Meeting for Possible Amendment of the Bay-Delta Plan to Incorporate Voluntary Agreement for the Tuolumne River. The scoping meeting is scheduled for May 18, 2023. The deadline for written comments is Thursday, May 25, 2023 (at noon).
  • Public comments and a video from the scoping meeting are available by emailing LSJR-SD-Comments@waterboards.ca.gov
  • Staff Presentation
  • Memorandum of Understanding Advancing a Term Sheet for the Voluntary Agreements to Update and Implement the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, and Other Related Actions - Revised
• August 8, 2022 – REVISED Notice of Preparation and California Environmental Quality Act Scoping Meeting for a Proposed Regulation to Implement Lower San Joaquin River Flows and Southern Delta Salinity Objectives in the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The scoping meeting is scheduled for August 10, 2022. The deadline for written comments is Friday, September 9, 2022 (at noon).
  • Public comments and a video from the scoping meeting are available by emailing LSJR-SD-Comments@waterboards.ca.gov
  • Staff Presentation
• Lower San Joaquin River flows
• Southern Delta salinity

On December 12, 2018, the State Water Board adopted amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta Plan) pursuant to Resolution No. 2018-0059. The Bay-Delta Plan below is a final clean version (no underline/strikeout) of the amendments adopted by the State Water Board. The final version incorporates the Revised Water Quality Control Plan (Appendix K of the Substitute Environmental Document (SED)) and changes described in the change sheets and minor modifications identified by the Executive Director in memos, below.

• 2018 Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary
• Office of Administrative Law Notice of Approval of Regulatory Action, and Form 400 (Regulations Submission)

FINAL DOCUMENTS

On December 12, 2018, through State Water Board Resolution No. 2018-0059, the State Water Board adopted the Plan amendments and Final SED establishing the Lower San Joaquin River flow objectives and revised southern Delta salinity objective.

• Resolution No. 2018-0059: Adoption of the Plan Amendments and Final Substitute Environmental Document
  • CEQA Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations (Attachment 1)
  • Draft Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (Attachment 2)
• REDLINE 2018 Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary
• Final SED

Changes to the draft resolution, proposed final amendments and final SED are found in these change sheets:

• Change Sheets: Change Sheet #4 (Circulated 12/12/18) | Change Sheet #3 (Circulated 10/25/18) | Change Sheet #2 (Circulated 08/20/18) | Change Sheet #1 (Circulated 08/20/18)

In addition, minor modifications to the final regulatory language are described in two memos from the State Water Board’s Executive Director:

• Executive Director memos: Memo 2 (February 22, 2019) | Memo 1 (December 19, 2018)

AUGUST 21-22 BOARD MEETING
On August 21-22, 2018, the Board heard oral comment on the “Proposed Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary and Final Substitute Environmental Document.” However, final action by the Board was continued to November 7, 2018, and again to December 12, 2018.

• December 12, 2018 Agenda Item and December 11-12 Board Meeting Agenda
• November 7, 2018 Agenda Item and November 6-7 Board Meeting Agenda
• Statement by State Water Board on Continuation of Action to Nov. 7
• See Revised Agenda and Revised Notice
• Response Letter from State Water Board Chair, Felicia Marcus, to the Secretary for Natural Resources regarding an Agenda Item concerning the Bay-Delta Plan Update
• Letter from the Secretary for Natural Resources regarding an Agenda Item concerning the Bay-Delta Plan Update
• Notice of Public Meeting and Consideration of Adoption

Draft Resolution for Board Consideration

• Draft Resolution
  • Draft CEQA Findings of Statement of Overriding Considerations
  • Draft Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (Attachment 2)

Board Meeting Materials

• Staff Presentation to the Board (August 21 | December 12)
• Meeting Video: August 21 | August 22 | November 7 | December 12
• Meeting Transcript: August 21 (part 1) (part 2) | August 22 (part 1) (part 2) | November 7 | December 12

Public Comments

The public comment period to receive written public comments on the Proposed Final Plan Amendments ended on July 27, 2018 at noon.

• Public Comments
• Comment Summary and Responses
• Responses to Oral Comments

OLDER DOCUMENTS

• 2016 Draft Revised Substitute Environmental Document in Support of Potential Changes to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Bay Delta: San Joaquin River Flows and Southern Delta Water Quality (posted 9/15/16)
  In September 2016, the State Water Board released for public review and comment a draft revised Substitute Environmental Document (SED) in support of potential changes to San Joaquin River flow and southern Delta water quality objectives and program of implementation included in the Bay-Delta Plan.
  • Public comments regarding the draft Bay-Delta Plan Update and draft Revised SED
  • December 22, 2016 - Letter from State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus to Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
• Draft Substitute Environmental Document in Support of Potential Changes to the Water Quality Control Plan for the Bay Delta: San Joaquin River Flows and Southern Delta Water Quality (posted 12/31/12)
  In 2012, the State Water Board released the Draft SED (Draft 2012 SED) for public review and comment in support of potential changes to San Joaquin River flow and southern Delta water quality objectives and program of implementation included in the Bay-Delta Plan.
  • Public Comments regarding the Draft 2012 SED for Update to the Bay-Delta Plan: San Joaquin River Flows and Southern Delta Water Quality.
• Comprehensive Review And Update To The Bay-Delta Plan Workshops
  The notice and information received (including written submittals, presentations given at the workshops, and video/audio recordings of the workshops) as part of the State Water Board's September, October, and November 2012 workshops to inform the Comprehensive Review and Update of the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan.
• May 22, 2012 Delta Independent Science Board letter
• Peer Review of Agricultural Economic Effects of Lower San Joaquin River Flow Alternatives. To receive a copy of any of these documents please contact LSJR-SD-Comments@waterboards.ca.gov.
• Informational Session: March 20, 2012 - Draft Technical Appendices to the Substitute Environmental Document for Potential Changes to the San Joaquin River Flow and Southern Delta Water Quality Objectives and the Associated Program of Implementation
  • Presentations
    • Introduction  |  Agricultural Economic Analysis  |  Hydropower Analysis
• Cover Letter (updated March 5, 2012) for Release of Draft Technical Appendices to the Substitute Environmental Document (SED) (posted February 24, 2012):
  • Draft Technical Appendices
    • Draft Scientific Basis for San Joaquin River Flow and Southern Delta Salinity Objectives (Scientific Report) (Dated February 2012).
    • Draft Agricultural Economic Effects of Lower San Joaquin River Flow Alternatives (Agricultural Economics Report) (Dated February 2012).
    • Draft Hydropower and Electric Grid Analysis of Lower San Joaquin River Flow Alternatives (Hydropower Report) (Dated February 2012).
  • Spreadsheets Used in the Draft Technical Appendices
    • Spreadsheet of Flow Data Used for Hydrologic Analysis in the Scientific Report (by SWRCB staff)
    • Spreadsheet Containing Water Supply Effects Model (WSE Model) (by SWRCB staff)
    • Spreadsheet of SWAP Output and Calculations for Agricultural Economic Effects Appendix (by SWRCB staff)
• Peer Review of Technical Report on the Scientific Basis for Alternative San Joaquin River Flow and Southern Delta Salinity Objectives (Posted November 21, 2011). To receive a copy of any of these documents please contact LSJR-SD-Comments@waterboards.ca.gov.
  • Technical Report on the Scientific Basis for Alternative San Joaquin River Flow and Southern Delta Salinity Objectives (Dated October 2011).
• Workshop: June 6, 2011 - Discussion of the Clarified Scope and Content of the Environmental Information to be included in the State Water Board’s Environmental Document Relating to the State Water Board’s Current Review of the Bay-Delta Plan.
  • Presentations
    • National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
    • Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
    • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
    • South Delta Water Agency (SDWA)
    • The Bay Institute (TBI)
    • SWRCB Staff
  • Comments Received - Deadline for written materials and comments was May 23, 2011 by Noon.
  • Late Comments Received
  • Revised Notice of Preparation
• November 22, 2010 - Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment for any additional information related to the San Joaquin River flow and southern Delta salinity objectives included in the 2006 Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary.
  • Written comments - Deadline for written materials and comments was February 8, 2011 by Noon
• Workshop: January 6 - 7, 2011 – Presentation and Discussion of Draft Technical Report on the Scientific Basis for Alternative San Joaquin River Flow and Southern Delta Salinity Objectives.
  • Presentations
    • Estimating Unimpaired Flows (DWR)
    • Flows and Salinity in the South Delta (DWR)
    • San Joaquin River Group Authority (SJRGA)
    • State Water Board staff
  • Proposed questions for panels received for the January 6-7, 2011 workshop
  • Written comments received by December 6, 2010 regarding Draft Report
  • Panel Participation Request Forms received for the January 6-7, 2011 workshop
  • Notice of Public Workshop and Availability of Draft Technical Report (10/29/10)
    • Panel Participation Request Form  |  Panel Questions Request Form
  • Draft Technical Report
  • Reference Information
• Vernalis Adaptive Management Plan (VAMP) Review: to assist in the update of the San Joaquin River flow objectives in the 2006 Bay-Delta Plan, the Delta Science Program (DSP) has commissioned a panel of independent experts to review the VAMP. The VAMP review will be held March 2-3, 2010, at 650 Capitol Mall in Sacramento.
  • Final VAMP Panel Report
• Study Report entitled Crop Salt Tolerance in the Southern Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta by Dr. Glenn J. Hoffman and associated public staff workshops
  • Final Study Report
  • Response to Comments - by Dr. Hoffman, November 4, 2009
  • Supporting Information - Requested by Dr. Hoffman
  • Comments
  • Dr. Hoffman's Presentation - August 13, 2009
  • Draft Study Report
  • Notice of Public Workshops and Draft Study Report Availability
• Continued detailed discussions related to review of the Southern Delta salinity and San Joaquin River flow objectives
  • Revised Notice of Public Staff Workshop and Cancellation of Potential Future Meetings (6/1/09)
  • Cancellation of May 8, 2009 and May 18, 2009 tentatively scheduled meetings
• Workshop: April 22, 2009 - Consideration of Potential Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay / Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary Relating to Southern Delta Salinity and San Joaquin River Flow Objectives
  • Second Revised Notice (4/17/09)
  • Revised Notice (including agenda) and Potential Future Meeting Date
  • Comments regarding potential amendments to the Bay-Delta Plan relating to Southern Delta salinity and San Joaquin River flow objectives.
• February 13, 2009 - Notice of Public Staff Workshop Concerning Potential Amendments to the Bay-Delta Plan Relating to Southern Delta Salinity and San Joaquin River Flow Objectives. Scheduled for April 22, 2009 (Deadline for written materials and comments was April 6, 2009 by Noon)
• February 13, 2009 - Notice of Preparation and of Scoping Meeting for Environmental Documentation for the Update and Implementation of the Bay Delta Plan: Southern Delta Salinity and San Joaquin River Flows.  Scheduled for March 30, 2009. Deadline for written comments was March 19, 2009 (by noon)
  • Comments
• February 13, 2009 - Cover Letter for Bay-Delta NOP/Scoping Meeting and San Joaquin River Flow and Southern Delta Salinity Water Quality Control Planning Workshop
• Proceedings leading to the Update and Implementation of the Bay-Delta Plan
• Presentations from November 15, 2010 Board Workshop on San Joaquin River Restoration Program