Feds Change Course, Approve $15.5 Billion California Water Project

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service gave a crucial green light for the intensely controversial and ambitious California WaterFix project, which would pump water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

2 minute read

June 27, 2017, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Bay Delta

The Isleton Bridge crosses the Delta. | dlove / Shutterstock

"The Delta tunnels got a crucial green light Monday from two federal agencies, whose scientists said they’ve determined that the controversial project can co-exist with the endangered fish that inhabit the waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta," report Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow.

More specifically, "the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service said the $15.5 billion tunnels aren’t likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the Delta smelt, Chinook salmon, steelhead and other threatened species," according to Kasler and Sabalow. The biological opinions, as the reports are called, reversed course somewhat in the months between draft form and final form. An op-ed by Matt Weiser, published in May, used the draft biological opinions to build an argument making just the opposite point: that the project will make life worse for fish.

2017 has long been circled on the calendar as a critical year for the so-called WaterFix project, which in previous iterations this decade has been called the peripheral canal project or the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. A peripheral canal proposal was also defeated by voters in 1982 [pdf].

The article quotes Jeff Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District, who says the release of the biological opinions is a "huge milestone" for the project. Ryan Sabalow reported in December that the state signed off on the project in December, and that construction could begin in 2018.

Monday, June 26, 2017 in The Sacramento Bee

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Sign for Loma Alta Park in Altadena, Los Angeles County.

A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena

Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.

45 minutes ago - Pasadena NOw

Colorful historic homes in Madrid, Spain.

Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs

The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.

2 hours ago - The New York Times

People with bikes ordering at food trucks outdoors.

Raleigh Launches Greenway Food Truck Pilot to Enhance Park Experiences

Raleigh’s new Greenway Food Truck Pilot Program brings local food vendors to popular greenway locations to enhance park experiences, support small businesses, and encourage community use of public spaces.

4 hours ago - City of Raleigh

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.