Restore The San Francisco Bay Area Delta

In a CalMatters piece published today, Rachel Becker outlines the major obstacles facing efforts to revive the Delta Tunnel project. Even as Governor Newsom claims the state is “closer than ever” to completing it, significant hurdles remain, including a massive price tag, unclear financing plans, pending critical water rights decisions, and a lack of commitments from water agencies to fund the project.

Becker highlights the project’s long history of controversy, dating back more than half a century, and voters rejecting an earlier version in the 1980s. She notes that Delta communities continue to denounce the plan, calling it a water grab that would devastate one of the country’s largest estuaries and harm towns, wildlife, and multigenerational farms.

The article also points out that with the Delta’s current state of decline due to algal blooms, degraded water quality, and struggling fish populations, diverting water through the tunnel would only further damage the already fragile ecosystem.  

“Nobody seems to care about the people out here on the ground,” Duane Martin Jr., a third-generation cattleman in the Delta, told CalMatters, describing what he sees as the project’s irreversible impacts on the region and its communities.

Read more from CalMatters here.

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This week, the Sacramento County Superior Court denied a motion by the State Water Contractors to disqualify Judge Stephen P. Acquisto, who has presided for more than two years over coordinated cases challenging the Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) approvals of the Delta Tunnel project. 

More than ten cases are currently pending, including challenges to DWR’s approvals under the California Environmental Quality Act, the Delta Reform Act and other statutes.

Petitioners, including all five Delta Counties, North, Central and South Delta Water Agencies, the City of Stockton, the Sacramento Area Sewer District, and a broad coalition of Tribes and environmental organizations, opposed the motion, citing the advanced stage of the proceedings and the risk of unnecessary confusion and delay. 

Restore the Delta welcomes the court’s decision to deny the State Water Contractors’ attempt to remove the presiding judge and looks forward to transparent proceedings of the Delta Tunnel challenges. 

Read more on the decision here.

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Groups warn the project ignores state law, threatens important Tribal cultural sites and the health of the Delta ecosystem.

For Immediate Release:

April 23, 2026

Contact:
Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org

Sacramento, CA – A coalition of tribes and environmental advocates expressed sharp criticism following the Delta Stewardship Council’s approval of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Certification of Consistency for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project (DCP). The coalition argues that the project violates state law and poses an imminent threat to Delta communities, its ecosystem and cultural heritage.The coalition, consisting of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, San Francisco Baykeeper, Center for Biological Diversity, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Little Manila Rising, Friends of the River, California Indian Environmental Alliance, Sierra Club California and Restore the Delta, appealed the Certificate of Consistency late last year, citing the project would:

• Irreparably harm Tribal Cultural Resources including cultural sites, burial grounds and traditional use areas – highlighting the lack of any meaningful Tribal consultation
• Intensify environmental harm by increasing diversions from the Delta, reducing protective water flows for threatened fish species and increasing harmful algal blooms
• Worsen environmental injustices, placing disproportionate burdens on Delta residents including low-income, Tribal and Latino communities
• Increase water reliance on the Delta, directly contradicting Delta Plan requirements, and weakening water flow protections

In the decision, the Council did defer back to the DWR two important issues related to the Golden Mussel and Sacramento Sewer’s Water program for further review. Rather than resolving these concerns within the proceeding, the draft decision directs DWR to consider whether additional measures are warranted, but only requires changes where deemed feasible. 

STATEMENTS FROM COALITION MEMBERS:

Malissa Tayaba, Vice Chair, Chingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians:

“Consistency with a plan meant to ensure co-equal goals can only be achieved by projects that treat Delta tribal and environmental water goals as truly equal. The Delta Conveyance Project treats our goals as less equal than the goal of diverting more water out of the Delta. The fact that the Governor’s appointees determined otherwise doesn’t change this fundamental reality. Yet again we are seeing political expediency win out over commitments to a healthy estuary. We will continue fighting against this destructive project.”

Gary Mulcahy, Government Liaison at Winnemem Wintu Tribe:

“The Delta Stewardship Council does not know the legality of what they ruled on because DWR’s documents do not support the consistency of the project for Tribes, environmental justice communities and fisheries. It’s just another giveaway to the Newsom Administration and DWR before the Governor leaves office.

Eric Buescher, Managing Attorney, San Francisco Baykeeper:

“The Delta Stewardship Council’s decision to accept DWR’s Certification of Consistency with the Delta Reform Act contradicts evidence and records provided by the coalition. “The Delta Reform Act was passed to protect, restore, and enhance the ecosystem of the San Francisco Bay-Delta and to preserve the Delta as a place. The Delta Conveyance Project would do the opposite. 

The Stewardship Council’s decision to conclude that this project is consistent with the co-equal goals of the Act is disappointing and inconsistent with the law and the evidence. The Council’s decision ignores the big picture and common sense in favor of a cramped understanding of the statute and of the Delta itself. In doing so, the Council abandons the co-equal goals and abandons the Delta.”

Christie Ralston, Associate Attorney, San Francisco Baykeeper:

“Today, the Delta Stewardship Council ignored clear defects in the Draft Decision on the appeals of the Department of Water Resource’s Certification of Consistency for the Delta Conveyance Project.  It did this in order to ram through the governor’s desire to break ground on the Delta Tunnel as soon as possible regardless of the impacts on Delta wildlife, ecosystems, economies, communities, and Tribes. 

In denying the many appeals the Council received, it has allowed DWR to sweep under the rug the devastating effects the Tunnel could have for years to come. And the breakneck speed at which the Council moved in making its decision robbed the public, appellants, and even the Council members themselves from being able to digest the Decision and meaningfully engage with it. Disappointingly, the Delta Stewardship Council has failed in its role as steward of the Delta.”

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director at Restore the Delta adds, “Today’s Delta Stewardship Council meeting and vote was farcical. They failed to consider the vast majority of documented records by appellants as they twisted regulations to justify their political actions. Citing incorrectly that the Council followed the law proves that Newsom appointees do not have the backbone to learn and implement the law accurately. We are disappointed but not surprised.”

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In a win for transparency and accountability, particularly for Delta communities, Tribes, ecosystems, and ratepayers statewide, the California Supreme Court denied review of a trial court ruling that found the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) exceeded its authority in approving bond financing for the Delta Tunnel.

Attorneys representing several Counties and agencies challenging DWR, Roger Moore and Thomas Keeling, praised the decision, calling the Court’s denial a “wise rejection of a misguided attempt by DWR and other Delta tunnel proponents to acquire unchecked power exceeding the scope of DWR’s delegated authority.” Restore the Delta is proud to have been part of the litigation, represented by attorney Robert Wright.

The ruling reaffirms ongoing concerns about the environmental and financial risks of advancing the Delta Tunnel project without proper regulatory review, concerns shared by a broad coalition of counties, legislators, Tribes, community advocates, environmental organizations, and public interest groups.

Read the full release from Attorneys Moore and Keeling here.

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California’s snowpack is melting faster and earlier than usual, driven by a recent heat wave and the long-term impacts of climate change.

The concern comes at a critical moment, as the state works to finalize the new environmental plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. With extreme weather becoming more common, experts say that maintaining adequate water flows is essential to protect key species, ecosystems, and the communities that rely on these resources.

Morgen Snyder, Director of Policy and Programs at Restore the Delta, told ABC 7 that salmon, white sturgeon, and delta smelt are among the growing number of endangered species in the Delta. She emphasized the need for consistent, cold flows to support them. “Cold storage is going to be important to determine how we can adequately ensure flows to the system,” Snyder said. “And that is the really tricky part with this faster-than-usual snowmelt.” 

Read more from ABC 7 here or watch the full story starting at minute 33:30 here.

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For Immediate Release:

April 9, 2026

Contact:
Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org

Sacramento, Calif. —  A coalition of Tribes and environmental advocates has submitted a letter to the California Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife opposing AB 2215. The bill, which seeks to extend the Department of Water Resources’ water rights permit for the State Water Project until 2085, is being criticized for bypassing existing regulatory processes managed by the State Water Resources Control Board (“Water Board”). 

“This bill would set an extremely dangerous precedent,” said Morgen Snyder, Director of Policy and Programs at Restore the Delta. “Protecting our waterways and the communities that depend on them requires maintaining rigorous standards for all water rights holders. Granting exemptions that override existing processes creates a system that favors powerful users at the expense of ecosystem and community health.”

The coalition asserts that AB 2215:

• undermines the established procedures for water rights holders to request permit extensions
• grants preferential treatment to the State Water Contractors
• and threatens the already fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem

This bill would be clearing the way for controversial projects like the Delta Conveyance Project without proper regulatory oversight.

The coalition includes the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Restore the Delta, San Francisco Baykeeper, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network, Resource Renewal Institute, Sierra Club California, CleanEarth4Kids.org, Golden State Salmon Association, Friends of the River, Defenders of Wildlife, Central Delta Water Agency, Reclamation District 150, Reclamation District 307, Friends of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Center for Environmental Health, AquAlliance, South Delta Water Agency, and Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS).

Amid a broader political climate of deregulation, the group stresses the importance of maintaining robust Water Board processes to ensure transparency, public participation, and responsible state water planning. The coalition strongly urges lawmakers to oppose AB 2215 to uphold these critical standards. 

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