SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 9, 2002 -- In a move that clearly illustrates the growing need for water and new infrastructure in California, the Delta Wetlands Project announced that a coalition of statewide business organizations has expressed support for the project.
Coalition members include the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Business Properties Association and the Silicon Valley Manufacturers Group. Together, these organizations represent the largest and most influential group of business interests in the state of California (both north and south; large and small) and play a key role in advocating for statewide and regional water planning.
The Delta Wetlands Project, an innovative water storage and supply program, is identified as one of the key water storage components within the CALFED Bay-Delta Program ("CALFED"). In 2000, a historic collaboration of federal, state and other water-related urban, agricultural and environmental stakeholders came together to craft the CALFED Record of Decision, which serves as the working framework for managing water supplies in the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta, one of California's major water sources.
To preserve and ensure further economic growth within California, the business community has united with other interest groups to actively call for timely implementation of CALFED and its various projects, specifically advocating for the development of new water storage facilities and the creation of new sources of actual water supply.
"We understand that the Delta Wetlands Project provides both benefits -- offering California and its residents a unique opportunity to implement desperately needed new storage capacity and create a new water supply -- by capturing water that would be otherwise wasted to the ocean," said Rex Hime, President and Chief Executive Officer of the California Business Properties Association. "It is for this reason that the California Business Properties Association supports the Delta Wetlands Project."
"The California Chamber of Commerce supports the objectives of the Delta Wetlands Project and encourages efforts to bring the project to fruition," added Gene Voiland, Chair, Water Resources Committee for the California Chamber of Commerce.
The Delta Wetlands Project is a unique water management tool that will help address California's current and future water challenges, providing desperately needed new storage and a new water supply. The project, which is designed to capture surplus Delta water (water that has historically flowed to the Pacific Ocean and not been utilized), will ultimately store approximately 220,000 acre-feet of water and supply approximately 170,000 acre-feet of water per year, in an environmentally sensitive, technically sound and cost- efficient manner.
Located in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and straddling both San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties, the project will involve four Delta islands. Two islands will be developed to serve as reservoir islands and two islands will be permanently set aside as managed wetlands and wildlife habitat, which will also incorporate an ongoing and significant level of agricultural production. After years of farming and grading, the islands' land elevation is now below sea level. By fortifying surrounding levee systems, the project proponents will be able to store significant amounts of water on the reservoir islands, forming a new surface water storage facility. The reservoir islands will be able to capture water when it is available (typically during storms or wet years), for later use when water is scarce. Ideally located within the vast Delta network, one of California's primary water supply sources, the project is compatible with and could provide greater operational flexibility to existing water infrastructure and systems.
The Delta Wetlands Project has undergone 15 years of environmental review with extensive public involvement and comprehensive technical analysis to ensure the feasibility, safety and environmental sensitivity of storing water on the reservoir islands. The project will comply with and even exceed all state and federal water quality standards. In addition to independent scientific reviews, public oversight boards will be established and all monitoring data will be made available to the public to ensure the effectiveness of protections for local residents. Final permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are expected to be obtained within the second quarter of 2002. All other required permits have been acquired.
"The Delta Wetlands Project provides a unique opportunity to implement desperately needed storage capacity sooner than any other option to do so, with benefits to agriculture and environmental restoration goals as well," said Margaret Bruce, Director of Environmental Programs for the Silicon Valley Manufacturers Group.
Beyond CALFED, and in light of evolving California policies and regulations, many other opportunities for project implementation exist. Recognizing the large supply of new water that the Delta Wetlands Project will provide, potential partnerships could include urban or agricultural water agencies, environmental mitigation efforts, large developers and other business entities.
For more information on the Delta Wetlands Project, please visit its web site at http://www.deltawetlands.com/ .
