State Water Project and Central Valley Project
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) operate, maintain, and manage the State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP) facilities, respectively. Both projects are water storage and delivery systems composed of reservoirs, aqueducts, power plants, and pumping plants. Their main purpose is to store water and distribute it to urban and agricultural water suppliers in Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, and Southern California.
For more information regarding the CVP/SWP operations, visit the 
Reclamation and DWR websites.
Compliance with the Federal and California Endangered Species Acts
In 2008, the USFWS issued a biological opinion (BiOp) on the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project (CVP/SWP operations) and determined that the CVP/SWP operations are likely to jeopardize the continued existence and adversely modify the critical habitat of federally listed Delta smelt.
In 2009, the NMFS issued a BiOp on the CVP/SWP operations and determined that the CVP/SWP operations are likely to jeopardize the continued existence and adversely modify the critical habitat of federally listed Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, and the Southern Distinct Population Segment of North American green sturgeon.
For more information regarding the biological opinions, visit the USFWS and NMFS websites.
In 2009 CDFW issued DWR an incidental take permit (ITP) for the on-going and long-term operation of the SWP existing facilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for the protection of longfin smelt. CDFW also issued DWR consistency determinations for the NMFS BiOp and USFWS BiOp.
What is CDFW's Role in Water Operations?
The Water Operations Unit represents CDFW on multiple work teams that make real-time water operation decisions for the State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP). The Unit coordinates with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on fisheries technical teams that make recommendations for adjusting operations. These recommendations are intended to minimize adverse effects on state and federally listed fish species and to ensure compliance with the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) requirements specified in the BiOp Reasonable and Prudent Actions, and ITP conditions. Under this structure, technical working groups comprised of experts in the fields of hydrology and fisheries biology from CDFW, USFWS, DWR, Reclamation, and NMFS convene regularly to review real-time hydrology and fish data in the Smelt Working Group, American River Group, Delta Operations for Salmonids and Sturgeon, Stanislaus Operation Group, and the Sacramento River Temperature Task Group. These technical work groups provide recommendations to senior agency representatives on the Water Operations Management Team which considers the recommendations and may inform changes to SWP and CVP water operations.
The longfin smelt incidental take permit and the CDFW consistency determinations can be found at the following links:
State and/or Federal Listing Status of Native Fish Species
KEY: F = Federally-listed under ESA | E = Endangered | C = Candidate Species for Listing| ESU = Evolutionary Significant Unit | S = State-listed under CESA | T = Threatened | DPS = Distinct Population Segment
| Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Listing Status |
| Delta smelt |
Hypomesus transpacificus |
FT, SE |
| longfin smelt |
Spirinchus thaleichthys |
FC, ST |
| Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run ESU |
Onorhynchus tshawytscha |
FT, ST |
| Chinook salmon, Sacramento River winter-run ESU |
Onorhynchus tshawytscha |
FE, SE |
| steelhead, Central Valley DPS |
Onorhynchus mykiss |
FT |
| green sturgeon DPS |
Acipenser medirostris |
FT |
CDFW's Role in Water Operations
Water Operations Working Groups
The CVP/SWP operations are informed through a structured decision making process designed to reduce the adverse effects on federally and state listed fish species. Multiple work teams convene regularly to review real-time hydrology and fish data. Based on this information, work teams make recommendations to the Water Operations Management Team (WOMT). WOMT considers recommendations from multiple work teams to inform changes in water operations. The Water Operations Unit participates in numerous work teams; two of the work teams which the Unit are heavily involved in are the Smelt Working Group (SWG) and the Delta Operations for Salmonids and Sturgeon Work Group (DOSS).
Smelt Working Group
The SWG consists of experts in the fields of hydrology and the biology of Delta smelt and longfin smelt (collectively smelt) from the CDFW, USFWS, DWR, Reclamation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The SWG provides guidance on hydrology and smelt life history to reduce the adverse effects of CVP/SWP operations. When appropriate, the SWG provides recommendations for real-time management of operations to WOMT and USFWS, consistent with the USFWS BiOp and the ITP. The SWG also closely coordinates with DOSS.
Smelt Working Group Notes and Determinations
Delta Operations for Salmonids and Sturgeon Work Group
DOSS is comprised of biologists, hydrologists and other staff with relevant expertise from CDFW, USFWS, NMFS, DWR and Reclamation. DOSS provides guidance on hydrology and listed salmonids and green sturgeon life history to reduce the adverse effects of CVP/SWP operations. When appropriate, DOSS provides recommendations for real-time management of operations to WOMT and NFMS, consistent with the NMFS BiOp.
Delta Operations for Salmonids and Sturgeon Working Group Notes and Recommendations
Water Operations Management Team
WOMT is comprised of senior representatives from CDFW, USFWS, NMFS, DWR and Reclamation. The recommendations of the technical groups, along with summaries of supporting information are conveyed to WOMT. The team considers the recommendations of the technical groups, water supply costs and other factors and then provides DWR and Reclamation with appropriate operations guidance.
Water Operations Management Team Decisions and Summaries