Restore The San Francisco Bay Area Delta

As the State Water Board prepares to adopt the updated Bay-Delta Plan this week, San Francisco Chronicle reporting reveals significant flaws surrounding the proposal’s implementation and funding.  

The article points to the lack of buy-in from major water suppliers, including East Bay Municipal Utility District and Santa Clara Valley Water District, as a source of uncertainty for the viability of the updated Bay-Delta Plan. Water agencies that reject the updated plan could challenge the regulations in court, potentially leading to years of litigation. 

The article also notes that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has threatened non-participation in the voluntary agreements that underlie the plan, and has promised to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in funding. Critics have long warned that the federal government cannot be relied upon as a partner in complying with state laws and regulatory decisions designed to protect Delta ecosystems, Tribes, and Delta communities. 

“It just doesn’t work,” said Barry Nelson, an advisor for the Golden State Salmon Association. “It’s like having a car with two steering wheels, two accelerators, and drivers wanting to go in opposite directions.”

Without federal participation, the state could lose roughly 25% of the needed funding for implementation of the updated plan. And given that initial estimates for the plan’s costs are likely understated, the financial burden that will fall on California taxpayers could grow enormously.

Read the full article here. 

The Los Angeles Times took a deep dive into the controversy surrounding the Newsom administration’s agreement to pay a private investment firm $180 million for a relatively small amount of additional water for Sacramento River salmon.

At roughly $36,000 per acre-foot, dozens of times what cities pay for a single year of water on average, the water comes at a steep price. As Barry Nelson, an advisor for the Golden State Salmon Association, told the LA Times, “This is extraordinarily expensive water… [it] seems like a really bad investment for the public.” 

In addition to its exorbitant cost to California taxpayers, the agreement leaves the amount of water provided in any given year largely up to Reclamation District 108.

Peter Drekmeier, policy director at Yosemite Rivers Alliance, raised similar concerns about the agreement’s value and accountability: “The taxpayers are expected to pay top dollar for an amount of water that’s not really going to move the needle, and that’s just wrong… How do you track this water? Are we really getting what we’re paying for? We know it’s really, really expensive water, and we don’t know how much of it’s actually going to end up in the ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, the Newsom administration is after more agreements like this one that environmental groups cite as a prime example of the types of deals that voluntary agreements depend on in the Bay-Delta Plan update. On October 28-29, the State Water Resources Control Board is scheduled to consider the voluntary agreements (VAs) as part of new rules governing water in the Delta.

Environmental groups across the Delta and California are raising concerns about these agreements’ impact on critical ecosystems and cost to taxpayers. With the total price tag potentially reaching $5.6 billion compared to initial estimates of $1.1 billion, advocates are calling on the State Water Board to recognize the VA framework as costly and ineffective.

Read the full Los Angeles Times piece here. 

Restore the Delta and the Mormon Slough Restoration Association release cost-benefit analysis and detailed restoration plans

For Immediate Release:

October 19, 2026

Contact:
Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org

STOCKTON, CA — Today, Restore the Delta and the Mormon Slough Restoration Association reached a new milestone through the release of the Mormon Slough Restoration Project Economic Cost-Benefit Analysis alongside an Art Installation Guide and Project StoryMap, unveiling clear community benefits and resources for Stockton residents to envision the future of Mormon Slough.

The groups have been working with the community since 2023 to envision the slough as a healthier, safer, and more vibrant greenway after decades of disinvestment and neglect. Pivotal to meeting this important milestone was grant funding from North Valley THRIVE’s Catalyst Fund, pushing forward the group’s hopes of reconnecting Stockton’s communities with their waterways while improving flood protection, environmental health, and creating economic opportunity. 

“The economic case for restoring Mormon Slough is clear. The project will result in nearly $430 million in net benefits to communities currently underserved by park space, create hundreds of jobs, and support future community-driven economic development,” said Michelle Mendoza, Flood and Land Restoration Program Manager at Restore the Delta. “Understanding what job opportunities become available for locals by restoring the slough is exciting.”

The cost-benefit analysis reveals that plans around the 6.3 mile waterway would create workforce development opportunities, increase property values, improve critical habitats, and activate recreational activities. The report also points to potential ecological benefits such as improved air quality, cooling, and flood control upgrades. 

“Restoration of Mormon Slough is a sound investment that will create good jobs in Stockton,” said Holly Michael, the lead economist on the report. “The value of public benefits such as recreation and flood control are 4 to 5 times higher than the estimated costs. Adding additional greenspace and parks to this underserved area will help Stockton reach the state goal of providing 3 acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents.”

Following a year of direct community outreach, the restoration team also released an Art Installation Guide to help Stockton residents envision a transformed Mormon Slough. The guide, created by HATCH Workshop, details design opportunities, creative approaches to restoration, and structural challenges that will need to be addressed as the project continues. It takes a particularly close look at two pilot sites, the Emergency Food Bank and Solari Ranch.

“This report is meant to serve as an introduction to the restoration area, as well as provide food for thought, technical recommendations, historical context, and leads for deeper independent research,” said Elazar Abraham, Co-Founder & Executive Director of HATCH Workshop. “We believe that project complexities should be shared transparently, and effective community engagement requires giving the community time and resources to learn at their own pace.”

The restoration team also released a Project StoryMap produced by the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) showcasing the slough’s history, ecology, and future potential. Through maps, photographs, and project information, the StoryMap illustrates how restoring Mormon Slough could contribute to a more resilient and connected Stockton. 

“Researching the history of the Mormon Slough revealed how important this forgotten waterway has been for supporting the people and wildlife in the area now known as Stockton. Highlighting some of this rich history through the StoryMap gives community members the knowledge of how Mormon Slough has shaped the environment and how it continues to play a role in the present-day experience of Stockton,” said Kat Palermo, GIS Specialist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI). “From being a vital lifeline for indigenous villages, to a major industrial corridor in the 1890s, to the neglected state it is experiencing today, the Mormon Slough continues to be a connecting thread across space and time in this region.”

The project is grounded in collaboration with the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians to ensure the restoration reflects Indigenous knowledge and priorities.

“Restoring our environment is not just a duty for the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians; it is a testament to our shared responsibility for peace and healing. Together, we can create a future where every Tribal and non-Tribal community thrives, and the voices of marginalized individuals are heard,” said Jesse Galvan, Tribal Historic Preservation Office Coordinator.

The team behind this project has also developed conceptual designs for the two pilot sites along the lower six-mile length of the Mormon Slough, a site behind the Emergency Food Bank and a second site at Solari Ranch. These two sites are intended to serve as early project demonstrations supporting long-term restoration efforts along the slough.

The conceptual designs were informed by a technical study conducted by River Partners in 2025, along with site context, design requirements, opportunities and constraints, and high-level visioning. Community engagement also played a pivotal role in shaping the designs, with more than 80 residents reviewing the successive drafts of the concept designs and sharing valuable feedback to help inform the project’s Art Installation guide and overall direction. Copies of the conceptual designs are available upon request, and individuals interested in learning more can contact Restore the Delta.

Collectively, the cost-benefit analysis, Art Installation Guide and StoryMap offer Stockton residents a package of resources examining Mormon Slough’s past and exploring the possibilities for its future through community-informed restoration plans. 

The Mormon Slough Restoration Project Economic Cost-Benefit Analysis and Conceptual Designs are available upon request.

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Dear friends, 

Restore the Delta’s Delta Science Program officially wrapped up its summer water quality monitoring at the end of September. Since 2022, our water quality monitoring program includes:

• Recording water temperatures and weather conditions
• Testing for harmful algal blooms (HABs)
• Assessing salinity levels

New this year, in collaboration with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Region 5 of the State Water Board), we added E. coli collection and sampling to our regular monitoring routine. With the introduction of golden mussels into the Delta via Rough and Ready Island and the added E. coli sampling, we have a few new topics to cover, and we want to help break them down.

1. First off, let’s talk about HABs and what our monitoring teams observed in the field.

A bit of positive news for the community: We didn’t see much bloom activity at all this summer; otherwise, you would’ve heard from us earlier this summer through social media to exercise caution while recreating. While there were small traces of blooms, which looked like small flakes in the water at Buckley Cove in Stockton, the blooms posed no threat to recreation due to the low quantities and lack of toxin concern. The lack of HABs may have come as a surprise to many, given that we experienced very hot periods this summer, and HABs thrive in warm water. However, California did experience a wet water year, which kept consistent flows in the San Joaquin River during the hottest periods, according to the few flow monitors near Stockton on the California Data Exchange Center (CDEC). We hope to see this trend continue, but there are concerns with the introduction of golden mussels and a potential interaction with HABs proliferation.

2. Golden mussels were first detected in the Delta in October of 2024 at Rough and Ready Island, near Stockton; learn more about them from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife here.

Within the 2 years that golden mussels were introduced into the Delta, they have spread across California’s water system, with potential to impact drinking water systems across the state. In the field this year, our team observed that the waterways are very clear, so much so that our team was able to see the bottom of the water bodies clearly, which we haven’t been able to do before. What might this have to do with golden mussels? Well, golden mussels are filter feeders, and they have been spotted in large clusters around a majority of the sites that RTD’s monitoring team has been sampling. Although filtering can seem like a great thing because clear water must mean the water is clean, that’s not necessarily the case. One problem is that as golden mussels filter, they release nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, which HABs thrive on (Zhang et al. 2024). There’s also the concern of how this clearer water may affect wildlife species within the different water columns – a certain level of turbidity is important for species survival.  Golden mussels are a problem that we don’t fully understand yet, which is why we are glad that Assembly Member Rhodesia Ransom was able to secure 6 million dollars for management and response from State Water agencies.

3. Sampling E. coli levels throughout the Delta this summer.

Overall, much of Stockton fell below the recreational E. coli threshold, but throughout different times of the season, two sites became areas of concern. For one week in June, the Mormon Slough had levels that tripled the recreational-concern threshold of 320 MPN (MPN, the most probable number, is a measure for E. coli). The main concern we saw was at the end of Yosemite Lake on the Smith Canal, at American Legion Park, where many people fish.  The E. coli levels were at their worst, recorded at 8 times the 320 MPN threshold at one point. These levels eventually declined to 2-4 times the threshold in May through July. The levels continued to fluctuate, dropping below recreational levels before spiking to 8 times the threshold again in mid-September. These numbers were a cause for concern, especially for those fishing at American Legion Park and pets that roam the surrounding neighborhood.

Our team would like to acknowledge that this work does not get done without the support we receive. The collaboration with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board on both the HABs and E. coli testing supplies was pivotal in helping us to maintain our testing.  

We also couldn’t have gotten this work done without the help of our Climate Water Advocates, who quickly adapted to the new monitoring procedures. Although Summer has come to an end, we hope to continue addressing water quality issues with our monitoring programs and to keep our Delta communities informed.

• View this testing season’s recorded E. coli data here.
• Stay up to date with statewide HABs reporting, including the data we have collected, available here.

References: 

Zhang, J., Xu, M., & Yang, Y. (2024). Assessing the effects of environmental factors on filtration rate of golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei). Ecological Indicators, 158, 111544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.111544

Governor Newsom recently vetoed SB 872, the Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund, missing a critical opportunity to protect the state’s water resources and Delta communities..

The Governor’s veto message pointed to more than $170 million allocated for repairing levees, aqueducts, canals and other projects, calling SB 872 “unnecessary”, but the state’s own data emphasizes the gaps in funding urgently needed to protect the Delta estuary.

Morgen Snyder, Director of Policy and Programs at Restore the Delta, told CBS News, “The funding in the budget, while incredible and much needed, is sort of a drop in the bucket compared to what overall repairs are needed.”

In a CalMatters piece, Rachel Becker highlights the estimated $3.3 billion cost needed to repair the 1,100 miles of federal and non-federal levees. According to the Delta Stewardship Council, without these improvements, “$22 billion in assets and over $5 billion in annual economic activity” are at risk of flooding by 2085.

The bill would have also funded necessary land subsidence repairs to the State Water Project. CalMatters cites a state report that found subsidence could cut water deliveries by almost 90% in the next 17 years, while the California Department of Water Resources estimates that fixing the damage to the State Water Project’s infrastructure could cost nearly $4 billion.

Coverage in the Lodi News similarly highlights how the Governor’s veto represents yet another example of prioritizing the Delta Conveyance Project over preventing emergencies and protecting Delta ecosystems and communities. 

SB 872 garnered unanimous support in the Legislature, bringing together Northern and Southern California legislators, environmental groups, and water interests to protect critical water infrastructure. 

As Restore the Delta’s Executive Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla said, “Not only did Governor Newsom veto a much needed bill to bring Delta levees to the necessary standards to deal with climate change, he vetoed funding for fixing existing conveyance for the State Water Project.” 

News Roundup:

• Newsom vetoes Delta levees bill as El Niño winter looms. CalMatters.
• Newsom vetoes bill aimed at funding Sacramento-San Joaquin delta levee repairs, water infrastructure. CBS News. 
• Levees, vetoed legislation and what comes next: Newsom rejects funding bill as both sides debate best path forward. The Lodi News.  
• Newsom vetoes bill intended to shore up Delta levees. The Lodi News.
• Newsom rejects long-range water solution for Delta, aqueduct. The Manteca Bulletin.
• Newsom vetoes Delta levees bill as El Niño winter looms. News from the States.
• As El Niño approaches, Newsom vetos bill aimed at protecting California levees from flooding. Planetizen News.
• Gov. Newsom Vetoes Important California Water Bill, Despite Unanimous Passage by Legislature. California Globe.
• Solano-supported Delta levee repair legislation vetoed. The Daily Republic.
• Newsom vetoes historic Delta levees bill as El Niño winter looms. The Stockton Record.

California state agencies used a confidentiality agreement to keep some communications regarding the scientific basis for the updated Bay-Delta Plan hidden from public knowledge, as revealed by Ashley Zavala on KCRA’s CA Politics 360 show.

The agreement between the State Water Resources Control Board, Department of Water Resources, and Department of Fish and Wildlife was discovered by Baykeeper Managing Attorney Eric Buescher through a California Public Records Act request. 

“It kept all of those communications between those agencies secret, which basically means it kept the science about water quality and fish biology and the impacts to native fish and wildlife that depend on them secret and out of the public’s eyes,” said Buescher. 

Restore the Delta’s Executive Director Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla also shared similar concerns over the lack of transparency, saying, “If we don’t have the basis of the science and the public can’t see that, we can’t have confidence in the decisions being made and the outcomes.” The Legislative Analyst’s Office has also requested greater transparency around the Voluntary Agreements, emphasizing the importance of making related data and reports available to the public.

With the State Water Resources Control Board scheduled to vote on the updated Bay-Delta Plan on October 28-29, the need for transparency, particularly around the science behind decisions at our State agencies, is critical for public confidence and fair processes. 

See the full coverage here.

• Native tribes denied greater say in water decisions with Newsom veto
• Newsom Vetoes Sacred Sites and Tribal Water Bills Despite Overwhelming Votes
• Tribal advocates say Newsom apologized for state history, then vetoed their bills
• Governor Newsom Ignores Water-Sector Consensus and Fails to Make Water Affordable in California 

Newsom’s final legislative session has ended with broken promises, and sweeping vetoes of critical legislation. On September 30th, Governor Newsom vetoed AB 2218, Water policy: California Native American tribes. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra and co-sponsored by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok and the Karuk Tribe, passed both chambers of the California Legislature with unanimous support: 28-0 in the Senate and 56-0 in the Assembly. Despite Newsom’s work with tribes on stewardship and landback initiatives, this decision highlights the State’s inability to translate words into actionable change.

In his veto message, Governor Newsom reiterated his administration’s recognition of “the historical harms perpetrated against Native peoples and tribal governments in California.” He attempts to rationalize this veto and continuing trend of leaving tribes out of important water decisions, arguing that passing this bill would undermine water policies addressing climate change, create duplicate work, and potentially disrupt important regulations, policies, permits, and grant criteria moving forward.

Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Vice Chair Malissa Tayaba responded directly to this decision, stating, “Newsom’s veto of AB 2218 is a backhanded betrayal of California Tribes and a direct contradiction of his apology and promises of reconciliation. For nearly 200 years, California has made decisions about our waters without us, disregarding the tribes whose cultures, communities and lifeways depend on them. Newsom had instead aligned with ‘special water interests that profit from extractive and exploitive water management.’” 

The Los Angeles Times and Sacramento Bee reported on the veto, depicting the long history of exclusion in California, and the importance of AB 2218 in providing Tribes a greater role in decisions affecting California water resources. Karuk Tribe Chairman Russell “Buster” Attebery said tribes “need to be at the table when decisions are being made,” and the bill was an important step toward changing that. The article also highlights California’s troubled water history dating back to the Gold Rush, when Tribes were forcibly removed from their lands and left without meaningful rights to the water resources they depended on. 

In a continuing trend of vetoing important legislation, the Community Water Center’s bill, SB 1125: Water Rate Assistance Program, was another casualty of Governor Newsom’s September 30th legislative decisions. The groundbreaking legislation would have established a statewide Low-Income Water Rate Assistance Program, the first of its kind in the nation. Authored by Senator Caroline Menjivar, the bill would have addressed water affordability and helped ensure that families across California have access to safe and affordable water.

Read more about each bill and the Governor’s vetoes below:

• Native tribes denied greater say in water decisions with Newsom veto
• Newsom Vetoes Sacred Sites and Tribal Water Bills Despite Overwhelming Votes
• Tribal advocates say Newsom apologized for state history, then vetoed their bills
• Governor Newsom Ignores Water-Sector Consensus and Fails to Make Water Affordable in California