ACWA Urging State Water Board to Include VA on Tuolumne by ACWA Staff May 19, 2023 Water News The State Water Resources Control Board is considering an amendment to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary, or Bay-Delta Plan, that would incorporate a proposed Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement. ACWA has long supported the Voluntary Agreements (VAs) as a collaborative, modern and holistic approach in the Bay-Delta and its tributaries to help native fish and wildlife species while supporting water supply reliability. On May 18, ACWA staff provided oral comments on the issue to the State Water Board during a virtual public scoping meeting. “ACWA strongly encourages the State Water Board to amend the Bay-Delta Plan to incorporate the Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement,” said ACWA State Relations Advocate Stephen Pang during the meeting. “The Voluntary Agreements, relative to the unimpaired flows approach, are the superior alternative to achieving the coequal goals of the Delta. They represent a collaborative and holistic approach to helping native fish and wildlife species in the Delta watershed, and the Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement is a critical step towards accomplishing this goal.” The Tuolumne River Voluntary Agreement proposes a comprehensive suite of actions, including both flow and non-flow measures, that would be a critical step toward achieving the coequal goals of protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Bay-Delta ecosystem while increasing water supply reliability throughout California. For background on the VAs, visit www.voluntaryagreements.org.
