SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration on Monday finalized new state rules for the system of pumps, aqueducts and reservoirs that sends water from Northern to Southern California, insulating itself from federal changes on the eve of the presidential election.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s incidental take permit for the State Water Project, which supplies water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland, details when and how many of five species of endangered fish, including Delta smelt and Chinook salmon, the project’s operations can legally harm or kill.
The permit marks the second time that California officials have adopted rules separate from those of the federal government for the 400 miles of jointly run pumps, aqueducts and reservoirs that make up the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project. The first came in 2019, after former President Donald Trump approved endangered species rules for the federal side of the pumps that were slightly weaker in order to send more water to farmers and cities further south. With separate rules, California state officials have the option of requiring additional pumping limits, although environmental groups have argued the rules won’t save declining fish from extinction.
“The new Incidental Take Permit for the State Water Project issued today provides California with new tools and resources to better manage our water supply for endangered fish species and millions of Californians,” said Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth in a press release. “While the State Water Project is now operating under a permit independent of our federal partners, we continue to work together to make sure the rules that govern operations of both projects are aligned to the benefit of both fish and people.”
