California Water Action Plan –
Enhance Water Flows in Stream Systems Statewide

The California Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture developed the California Water Action Plan (WAP).  The WAP has been developed to meet three broad objectives: 1) more reliable water supplies; 2) the restoration of important species and habitat; and 3) a more resilient, sustainably managed water resources system (water supply, water quality, flood protection, and environment) that can better withstand inevitable and unforeseen pressures in the coming decades.  Action 4 of the WAP, Protect and Restore Important Ecosystems, contains a sub-action (see page 12 of the WAP) that states the following:

“The State Water Resources Control Board and the Department of Fish and Wildlife will implement a suite of individual and coordinated administrative efforts to enhance flows statewide in at least five stream systems that support critical habitat for anadromous fish.”

Through a coordinated effort between the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) five priority stream systems have been identified as a starting point for the WAP effort. The five streams are: Mark West Creek, tributary to the Russian River; Mill Creek, tributary to the Sacramento River; Shasta River, tributary to the Klamath River; South Fork Eel River; and Ventura River.

The State Water Board and CDFW are currently working to identify potential actions that may be taken to enhance and establish instream flow for anadromous fish in these five priority streams. As these actions are identified, additional information will be added to this website.