CVPIA §3406(b)(2) Water Operations on the Sacramento River Sacramento River Conservation Area Forum Technical Advisory Committee February 7, 2012

Central Valley Streams

Objective Provide an overview of the CVPIA (b)(2) water program. Provide background and relationship of the CVPIA Anadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP). Management of (b)(2) water to improve salmonid habitat in the Sacramento River.

Purposes To protect, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and associated habitats in the Central Valley; To address impacts of the CVP on fish, wildlife, and associated habitats; To improve operational flexibility of the CVP Central Valley Improvement Act, 1992

CVPIA Section 3406 (b)(2) water Purpose: A CVPIA program that dedicates and manages 800,000 AF annually of CVP water. Authority: CVPIA in (b)(2) water is managed pursuant to conditions specified by the FWS after consultation with USBR, CDWR, and CDFG. (b)(2) Agencies: FWS, USBR, in coordination with CDFG, CDWR, and NOAA fisheries.

B2 water CVP controlled streams and Delta actions.

Develop and implement a program to double natural production of anadromous fish compared to the average levels. AFRP Working Paper (1995) identified flows to achieve doubling goal in Central Valley rivers and streams. AFRP Plan (2001) recommended “reasonable” flow objectives for CVP streams that contribute toward doubling (restoration) goal. ANADROMOUS FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM Central Valley Improvement Act, 1992

AFRP Summary of Flow-related Limiting Factors Inadequate timing and/or magnitude of flow to provide suitable conditions for one or more life stage. Water temperatures that exceed tolerances of one or more life stage.

ACTION: 1.Implement a river flow regulation plan that balances carryover storage needs with instream flow needs consistent with the 1993 biological opinion for winter-run chinook salmon. 2.Implement a schedule for flow changes that avoids, to the extent controllable, dewatering redds and isolating or stranding juvenile anadromous salmonids. 3.Continue to maintain water temperatures at or below 56F from Keswick Dam to Bend Bridge to the extent controllable, consistent with the NMFS biological opinion and with SWRCB Order AFRP Recommended Flows (Final Restoration Plan) Upper mainstem Sacramento River

AFRP Recommended Flows (Final Restoration Plan) Upper mainstem Sacramento River High priority Recommended minimum Sacramento River flows (cfs) at Keswick Dam for October 1 to April 30 based on October 1 carryover storage in Shasta Reservoir and critically dry runoff conditions (driest decile runoff of 2.5 maf) to produces a target April 30 Shasta Reservoir storage of maf for temperature control. Carryover storage (maf)Keswick release (cfs) 1.9 to 2.13, , , , , , , , ,250 35,500 * WY 2012 Shasta Reservoir Inflow through Jan 31: 970 TAF (Driest: 921 TAF – 1977)

Figure 6. Estimated yearly natural production and in-river escapement for the entire mainstem Sacramento River adult fall-run Chinook salmon and numbers are from CDFG Grand Tab (February 2, 2011). Baseline numbers ( ) are from Mills and Fisher (CDFG, 1994) Average = 115, Average = 75,506 Estimated number of adult fall-run Chinook, DRAFT Goal = 230,000 (Final Restoration Plan) Hatchery escapement only, Fall-run Chinook – Sacramento River

Implementation of (b)(2) Water Management May 2003 DOI (b)(2) Decision, as clarified by December 2003 Interior Guidance Memo. The Ninth Circuit’s January 2004 decision, and Judge Wanger’s September 2008 decision. Continued use of (b)(1) re-operation.

Implementation of (b)(2) Water Management WY 2011 was classified as wet in both the Sacramento and San Joaquin basins. End of September 2011 Shasta storage at 3.34 MAF. In fall 2011, CVP operations were implemented consistent with both the NMFS BO for Salmonids and Sturgeon (June 2009) and FWS BO for Delta Smelt (December 2008).

CVPIA Section 3406 (b)(2) water Technical background: (b)(2) fish actions are based on forecasted operations, real-time monitoring, AFRP documents, published literature, IEP and DFG reports. CVPIA’s mandate to double natural production of anadromous fish. CVPIA’s instructions to “…provide flows of suitable quality, quantity, and timing to protect all life stages of anadromous fish...”

Shasta Reservoir Storage (Oct 1, 2011 – Jan 31, 2012)

Shasta Reservoir Inflow (Oct 1, 2011 – Jan 31, 2012)

Keswick Reservoir Releases (Oct 1, 2011 – Jan 31, 2012)

Shasta and Keswick Reservoirs – WY 2012 to date

(b)(2) water used to augment Keswick release December 16 – 31, 2011 – Keswick base case: ~ cfs – Keswick releases: ~5000 cfs January 1 – 31, 2012 – Keswick base case: ~ cfs – Keswick releases : ~ cfs

Questions?