Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project
2025

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Billions of gallons of water per day are channeled from northern California to drier Central and Southern California through the network of dams, canals, and other features that comprise the federal Central Valley Project (CVP), operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and the State Water Project (SWP), operated by the California Department of Water Resources. At least two thirds of California's population and more than 4 million acres of California farmland rely in whole or in part on water delivered by these projects. In addition to delivering water to meet diverse demands, the Projects must also protect six endangered fish species, including Delta smelt, longfin smelt, Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, California Central Valley steelhead, and the southern distinct population segment of North American green sturgeon.

At the request of the USBR, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a committee to conduct a biennial review of the monitoring, modeling, and other relevant scientific activities of the CVP and the SWP. This first report in the series examines three actions designed to help protect the fish - the Shasta Coldwater Pool Management Action, the Old and Middle River Flow Management Action, and the Summer-Fall Habitat Action for Delta Smelt. The report evaluates the scientific basis for each of the actions, along with monitoring and modeling needs, and makes specific recommendations for strengthening each of them to help them reach their stated goals.

Publication information

352 pages · 8.5 x 11 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-99279-6
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-60115-0
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/29130

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Front Matter i-xxii
Summary 1-7
1 Introduction 8-27
2 Shasta Coldwater Pool Management 28-86
3 Old and Middle River Flow Management 87-133
4 Summer/Fall Habitat Action 134-166
5 Overarching Issues 167-184
Appendix A: Northern California Climate, Hydrology, and Geology 185-227
Appendix B: Background Information Relevant to the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project 228-247
Appendix C: Laws Governing Project Operations 248-256
Appendix D: Descriptions of Monitoring and Modeling Relevant to the Projects 257-278
Appendix E: Listed Fish Species 279-323
Appendix F: Biographies and Disclosures for the Committee 324-329

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Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project (2025)

Chapter: 3 Old and Middle River Flow Management

Publication information

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Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project (2025)

Chapter: 3 Old and Middle River Flow Management