SACRAMENTO — California is facing a hotter, drier, and more volatile climate, with its water infrastructure under unprecedented stress. A new report from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has found that Governor Gavin Newsom’s Delta Conveyance Project (DCP) is the single most effective action the state can take to secure reliable water deliveries for millions of residents and businesses into the future.

The report, the first-ever State Water Project Climate Adaptation Strategy, outlines a suite of actions needed to adapt California’s water system to climate change. Among those, the Delta Conveyance Project stands out as essential, both as a standalone solution and as the linchpin that enhances the effectiveness of other strategies.

Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the urgency of action:
“The science is clear: California must quickly complete the Delta Conveyance Project in order to meet our water needs in the future. It’s time to stop with the delays and fear tactics. We need Legislative approval to fast-track the benefits this project will secure.”

Why the Delta Conveyance Project Matters

The State Water Project (SWP), built in the 1960s, remains California’s most important water infrastructure, delivering supplies to 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland. Stretching from Oroville to Riverside, the SWP is responsible for sustaining households, agriculture, and businesses across vast regions including the Bay Area, Central Coast, Inland Empire, and Kern County.

But climate change is threatening that lifeline. According to the report, California is projected to lose 10% of its overall water supply by 2040 due to hotter conditions and prolonged droughts. Without intervention, the reliability of the SWP could decline by as much as 23%.

The Delta Conveyance Project would expand California’s ability to capture and move water during intense storm events while reducing risks from earthquakes, levee failures, and rising sea levels. Last year alone, during atmospheric river storms, the project could have captured enough runoff to supply 9.8 million people for a full year.

“Anything that compromises the State Water Project poses a threat to public health and economic success,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “This analysis helps us understand the best science-based strategies to ensure continued State Water Project deliveries in the face of both greater aridity and more powerful storms. We need that not just for the public water agencies that pay for the State Water Project, but to continue the role the State Water Project plays in protecting Delta water quality during drought and upstream communities during floods.”

Bundled Strategies – but Delta Conveyance is Key

The Climate Adaptation Strategy evaluated over a dozen measures, grouping them into portfolios that would help safeguard water supply under a range of climate futures. Key recommendations include:

• Continued infrastructure maintenance such as repairing subsidence-damaged portions of the California Aqueduct.
• Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO), which uses advanced weather forecasting to manage water storage more flexibly.
• Additional South-of-Delta storage, though its benefits are limited without the Delta Conveyance Project in place.

The report makes clear that while multiple strategies are needed, none can match the impact of the Delta Conveyance Project on its own.

Removing Red Tape

Since taking office, Governor Newsom has worked to modernize the project, streamline regulatory hurdles, and secure financial backing from water agencies representing the majority of Californians. DWR certified the project’s environmental review in late 2023, but further delays persist due to permitting complexities.

Newsom has called for legislative action to simplify approvals, confirm funding authority, and prevent unnecessary delays:
“The importance of protecting the reliability of the State Water Project is too great to allow the Delta Conveyance Project to be mired by unnecessary and extensive delays.”

Looking Ahead

California’s future water security depends on bold infrastructure investments. By advancing the Delta Conveyance Project, the state not only safeguards its water supply but also strengthens resilience against climate change-driven extremes, protecting millions of residents, farmlands, and the economy.

The new report reinforces that completing the project quickly is essential. Without it, Californians face greater risks of shortages, declining reliability, and escalating costs.

Originally reported by Governor Newsom in Governor California Government.