Metropolitan Water District General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh issues the following statement on the State Water Resources Control Board’s adoption of an update to the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan:

“Metropolitan and partners across the state have worked for years to develop a smarter approach to building a healthier Bay-Delta and a more reliable water future for California, recognizing that flows alone are insufficient to protect the estuary’s ecosystem and the state’s water supply. The result – the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program – was intended to bring together additional water, habitat restoration and science, though a new governance structure and dedicated funding, to dramatically change how the Bay-Delta is managed. Implementation of the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program would be a landmark achievement in moving toward collaborative, science-based decision making to improve the health of the Bay-Delta while providing reliable water for California communities and businesses.

“Metropolitan appreciates the State Water Board’s commitment to a sustainable Bay-Delta and its efforts to include in the plan an implementation pathway that does not rely primarily on flows. However, Metropolitan is disappointed in the plan adopted yesterday. Ultimately, the State Water Board did not adequately incorporate the pathway as envisioned by the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program.

“Metropolitan will continue its review, including the changes incorporated into the adopted plan, to determine crucial next steps, and while doing that will continue to collaborate and engage agencies and partners. Metropolitan remains committed to the principles of the HRL Program and to finding solutions together. Southern California’s water future is closely connected to the health of the Bay-Delta, and our shared goals remain as important as ever.”

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