Sacramento Water Forum Releases DRAFT 2050 Agreement by City of Sacramento Department of Utilities Sep 30, 2025 Member Submitted News SACRAMENTO —The Water Forum has announced the release of the DRAFT Water Forum 2050 Agreement, a landmark update to the regional accord that has guided efforts to balance the Sacramento region’s water supply reliability with the protection of the lower American River for the past 25 years. First signed in 2000, the Water Forum Agreement brought together water providers, local governments, business leaders, citizen groups, and environmental advocates to address growing water demands while preserving the environmental and recreational values of the lower American River. The new agreement builds on that legacy with updated strategies that reflect the growing challenges of climate change, increasing regulatory demands, and economic pressures. As with the original agreement, Water Forum 2050 maintains the two coequal objectives as the guiding lights of the Water Forum: Providing a reliable and safe water supply for the region’s economic health and planned development through 2050; and preserving the fishery, wildlife, recreational, and aesthetic values of the lower American River. “Water Forum 2050 is both a continuation and an evolution,” said Ashlee Casey, Executive Director of the Water Forum. “It draws on decades of collaboration and adapts to the realities we face today—especially the urgent need to protect the Lower American River in the face of intensifying climate extremes.” ARCAP: A Bold New Initiative A key feature of the new agreement is the introduction of the American River Climate Adaptation Program (ARCAP)—a forward-looking initiative that aims to connect water agencies, infrastructure, and policies to help the region better respond to increasingly extreme climate conditions. ARCAP offers a better way for the region to manage water as climate conditions become more extreme. It enhances the five Program Areas by voluntarily linking agencies, infrastructure, and policies—creating a truly regional water system where water is managed by agencies to be available when and where it’s needed, and cold water is preserved in the American River for fish and future supply is protected. The program centers on identifying, evaluating, and directing additional volumes of regionally developed water—called ARCAP water—through conservation, groundwater recharge, upstream reservoir operations, and shifts in supply sources. The goal of ARCAP will be for the water to be stored and managed for use during critically dry periods, providing benefits when they’re needed most: reducing river temperatures, supporting fish and wildlife, and helping avoid shortages for communities across the region. Water Forum 2050 Program Areas Water Forum 2050 also reorganizes and focuses the seven elements from the first agreement into five Program Areas. For each, the agreement outlines specific programs, actions, and activities designed to support the coequal objectives: American River Flows and Operations. Targeted and creative solutions will be needed to maintain the lower American River’s health while ensuring a sustainable regional water supply. The Water Forum’s Flow Management Standard, which includes minimum flows, temperature management protocols, and provisions for a reservoir storage planning minimum, will remain a cornerstone. American River Corridor Health. Building on the habitat enhancement projects we have already implemented, the Water Forum will work with partners to lead multi-benefit habitat projects and research and monitoring on the lower American River. Adaptive management will allow us to nimbly respond to new scientific information and changing conditions. Regional Water Supply Sustainability. This Program Area guides surface water management to protect both the American River and groundwater supplies. It emphasizes practices like conjunctive use—alternating the use of surface and groundwater supplies based on their availability—that were implemented under the previous agreement. Science, Monitoring, and Decision Support. Through a comprehensive program of scientific research and monitoring, the Water Forum will continue producing rigorous and reliable scientific data on corridor health and watershed conditions, which will serve as the foundation for ongoing adaptive management. We commit to sharing information by making that data accessible to Water Forum members, other stakeholders, and the general public. Governance, Funding, and Administration. This Program Area promotes the “Water Forum Way” with an organizational structure and mechanisms that will allow us to implement and sustain Water Forum 2050 over the next 25 years. Looking Ahead Final negotiations are still taking place, but it is expected that the final agreement is close at hand. In the coming months, Water Forum members will present the DRAFT Water Forum 2050 Agreement to their boards and elected officials, with the goal of finalizing and signing the agreement in early 2026. Supporting materials—including an executive summary and a fact sheet—are available on the Water Forum website at https://waterforum.org/water-forum-2-0-process/ to help explain the agreement’s key elements and what it means for the region’s future. Perspectives from Water Forum Members on the 2050 DRAFT Agreement Mike Grinstead, Water Caucus member, Sacramento County Water Agency: “Water Forum 2050 is critical for water supply reliability as we move into an uncertain future. It provides the long-range foundation that is needed to adapt to changing conditions and manage our surface and groundwater resources in a sustainable way.” Ted Rauh, Environmental Caucus member, Environmental Council of Sacramento: “The Lower American River is an ecological treasure that supports wildlife, recreation, and our region’s identity. The Water Forum 2050 Agreement, with the innovative ARCAP, provides the framework we need to protect this vital resource and provide for the region’s needed water supply as climate pressures grow.” Tim Murphy, Business Caucus member, North State Building Industry Association: “A reliable water supply is foundational to our region’s economic development and long-term prosperity. As someone who helped negotiate the original Water Forum Agreement, I’m proud to see that same collaborative spirit carry forward. Water Forum 2050 strikes a balance between environmental stewardship and meeting the needs of a growing region.” Gary Bardini, Public Caucus member, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA): “Water Forum 2050 shows what’s possible when public agencies collaborate with a broad range of partners to achieve common goals. This agreement strengthens the region’s ability to prepare for climate extremes—from floods to droughts—while safeguarding the health of the Lower American River.”
