Staff Report in Support of Sacramento/Delta Updates to the Bay-Delta Plan

On August 19, 2026, the State Water Board released the final Staff Report.

• Cover and Title Pages
• Table of Contents

Volume 1: Chapters

1. Executive Summary
2. Hydrology and Water Supply
3. Scientific Knowledge to Inform Fish and Wildlife Flow Recommendations
4. Other Aquatic Ecosystem Stressors
5. Proposed Changes to the Bay-Delta Plan for the Sacramento/Delta
6. Changes in Hydrology and Water Supply
7. Environmental Analysis
   • 7.1. Introduction, Project Description, and Approach to Environmental Analysis
   • 7.2. Description of Alternatives
   • 7.3. Aesthetics
   • 7.4. Agriculture and Forest Resources
   • 7.5. Air Quality
   • 7.6. Biological Resources
     • 7.6.1. Terrestrial Biological Resources
     • 7.6.2. Aquatic Biological Resources
   • 7.7. Cultural Resources
   • 7.8. Energy
   • 7.9. Geology and Soils
   • 7.10. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
   • 7.11. Hazards and Hazardous Materials
   • 7.12. Hydrology and Water Quality
     • 7.12.1. Surface Water
     • 7.12.2. Groundwater
   • 7.13. Land Use and Planning
   • 7.14. Mineral Resources
   • 7.15. Noise
   • 7.16. Population and Housing
   • 7.17. Public Services
   • 7.18. Recreation
   • 7.19. Transportation/Traffic
   • 7.20. Utilities and Service Systems
   • 7.21. Habitat Restoration and Other Ecosystem Projects
   • 7.22. New or Modified Facilities
   • 7.23. Cumulative Impact Analysis, Growth-Inducing Impacts, and Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes
   • 7.24. Alternatives Analysis
8. Economic Analysis and Other Considerations
9. Proposed Voluntary Agreements
10. Economically Disadvantaged Communities
11. Tribal Engagement, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Tribal Beneficial Uses
12. Public Participation
13. Revised Proposed Plan Amendments

Volume 2: Appendices

1. Modeling for the Unimpaired Flow Scenarios
   • A1. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Methods and Results
     • A1a. Methods for Estimating Regional Sacramento/Delta Surface Water Supply for Agricultural and Municipal Use
     • A1b. Methodology for Estimating Existing Water Supply from Historical Water Deliveries Data
     • A1c. Preliminary Assessment of Effect of Reservoir Storage on Reservoir Release Temperatures
   • A2. Delta Simulation Model II (DSM2) Methods and Results
   • A3. Agricultural Economic Analysis: SWAP Methodology and Modeling Results
   • A4. Regional Economic Analysis Modeling Procedure
   • A5. Hydropower, Energy Grid, and Export Energy Analyses
   • A6. Water Temperature Modeling and Fish Assessment for the Sacramento, Feather, and American Rivers
   • A7. Modeling Approaches Used to Develop Unimpaired Watershed Hydrology
   • A8. Salmonid Tributary Habitat Analysis
2. Scientific Basis Report in Support of New and Modified Requirements for Inflows from the Sacramento River and its Tributaries and Eastside Tributaries to the Delta, Delta Outflows, Cold Water Habitat, and Interior Delta Flows
3. Supplemental Special-Status Species Lists for Plants and Wildlife
4. Supplemental Municipal Supply Analysis Information
5. Regulatory Framework for Construction Projects
6. Impact Summary Tables for Alternatives 1, 2, and 3
7. Appendices for Chapter 9, Proposed Voluntary Agreements
   • G1. Voluntary Agreement Proposal
   • G2. Final Scientific Basis Report Supplement in Support of Proposed Voluntary Agreements for the Sacramento River, Delta, and Tributaries Update to the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Quality Control Plan
     • Data Used in the Final Scientific Basis Report Supplement
   • G3. Modeling for the Proposed Voluntary Agreements
     • G3a. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Methods and Results for the Proposed Voluntary Agreements
     • G3b. Delta Simulation Model II (DSM2) Methods and Results for the Proposed Voluntary Agreements
     • G3c. Economic Considerations for the Proposed Voluntary Agreements
     • G3d. Hydropower, Energy Grid, and Export Energy Analyses for the Proposed Voluntary Agreements
     • G3e. Water Temperature Modeling and Fish Assessment for the Sacramento, Feather, and American Rivers for the Proposed Voluntary Agreements
   • G4. Environmental Checklist for the Proposed Voluntary Agreements
8. Appendices for Chapter 13, Revised Proposed Plan Amendments
   • H1. Modeling for the Revised Proposed Plan Amendments
     • H1a. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Methods
       • H1a1. Assessment of Effect of Reservoir Storage on Reservoir Release Temperatures
       • H1a2. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Results for Revised Proposed Plan Amendments
       • H1a3. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Results for Updated Unimpaired Flow Scenarios
       • H1a4. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Results for Central Valley Project Export Constraint Sensitivity Analysis
       • H1a5. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Results for Export Constraint Sensitivity Analysis
       • H1a6. Sensitivity Analysis for 2025 Record of Decision and Incidental Take Permit Amendments
       • H1a7. Sacramento Water Allocation Model Results for 2025 Record of Decision and Incidental Take Permit Amendments
     • H1b.Water Temperature Modeling and Fish Assessment for the Sacramento, Feather, American, and Yuba Rivers (Includes Attachment H1b1. Linkage Between SacWAM and HEC-5Q)
     • H1c. Beneficial Environmental Effects
   • H2. Environmental Checklists for the Revised Proposed Plan Amendments
   • H3. Mitigation Measures for the Revised Proposed Plan Amendments
   • H4. Impact Summary Table for Alternatives

Volume 3: Responses to Comments

1. Introduction to Responses to Comments
2. Common Responses
   • 1.1. General Comments
   • 1.2. Water Quality Control Planning Process
   • 1.3. Revised Proposed Plan Amendments
   • 1.5. Trinity River
   • 2.1. Presentation of Data and Results in the Staff Report and Responses to Comments
   • 3.1. Fish Protection
   • 4.1. Harmful Algal Blooms
   • 4.2. Drought and Climate Change
   • 6.1. Sacramento Water Allocation Model and Changes in Hydrology and Water Supply
   • 6.2. Baseline and No Project Alternative
   • 6.3. Water Supply and Other Water Management Actions
   • 7.1. General CEQA and Approach to the Analysis
   • 7.4. Agricultural Resources
   • 7.6.2. Aquatic Biological Resources and Cold Water Habitat
   • 7.8. Energy and Hydropower
   • 7.10. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Mitigation
   • 7.12.2. Groundwater and Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
   • 7.20. Utilities and Service Systems
   • 7.23. Cumulative Impact Analysis
   • 7.24. Alternatives Analysis
   • 8.1. Economic Analysis and Other Considerations
   • 10.1. Economically Disadvantaged Communities
   • 11.1. Tribal Engagement and Tribal Beneficial Uses
3. Indices of Commenters
4. Responses to Comments Tables
   • Responses to Letters 1-202
   • Responses to Letters 203-237
   • Responses to Letters 238-260
   • Responses to Letters 261-268
   • Responses to Letters 269-289
   • Responses to Letters 290-308
   • Responses to Letters 309-309
   • Responses to Letters 311-322
   • Responses to Letters 323-436
   • Responses to Letters 437-458
   • Responses to Letters 459-573
   • Responses to Letters 574-1037
   • Responses to Letters 1038-1079
   • Responses to Letters 1080-1099
   • Responses to Letters 1100-1126
   • Responses to Letters 1127-1143
   • Responses to Letters 1144-1304
   • Responses to Letters 1305-1515
   • Responses to Letters 1516-1590
   • References Cited for Responses to Comments Tables

Track changes versions of chapters and appendices of the final Staff Report are available on the Board’s file transfer protocol (FTP) site. To obtain the information to access the FTP site, contact SacDeltaComments@waterboards.ca.gov.

• FAQ
• Video: Overview of Sacramento/Delta Update to Bay-Delta Plan and Draft Staff Report
• Video: Staff Workshop on Overview of Draft Staff Report
  • Presentation
• Video: Staff Workshop on Modeling Used in Draft Staff Report
  • Presentation
• Revised Notice of Availability and Opportunity for Public Comment, Hearing, and Staff Workshops on Draft Staff Report (November 14, 2023)
• Notice of Availability and Opportunity for Public Comment, Hearing, and Staff Workshops on Draft Staff Report (September 28, 2023)