Fish Restoration Program Agreement (FRPA)

What is FRPA?

Signed on October 18, 2010, FRPA is an agreement (PDF) between CDFW and the Department of Water Resources (DWR) that addresses specific habitat restoration requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Biological Opinions (BiOp) for the State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP) operations, and the habitat restoration requirements of the CDFW Longfin Smelt Incidental Take Permit (ITP) for SWP Delta Operations. The primary objective of FRPA is to implement specific Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPA) from the BiOps and Conditions from the ITP in the Delta, Suisun Marsh, and Yolo Bypass with a focus on restoring 8,000 acres of intertidal and associated subtidal habitat for the Delta smelt and Chinook salmon, including 800 acres of intertidal and associated subtidal mesohaline habitat for longfin smelt. Other future actions benefiting salmonids, including a one-time $12 million contribution toward the Battle Creek Restoration Project, are also allowed within FRPA.

The specific actions and mitigation acreage that will be implemented through FRPA are contained in the regulatory documents:

• USFWS OCAP BiOp for Delta Smelt Biological Opinion (PDF);
  • RPA Component 4 ("DWR to restore minimum of 8,000 acres of intertidal and associated subtidal habitat in the Delta and Suisun Marsh") (PDF 8.3MB, see Page 283)
• NMFS OCAP BiOp for Chinook salmon;
  • RPA Action 1.2.6 (participate in the restoration of Battle Creek) (PDF 1.8MB, see page 29)
  • RPA Actions 1.6 and 1.7 (funding and technical assistance for Yolo Bypass, Liberty Island and Lower Cache Slough fish passage improvement) (PDF 1.8MB, see pages 34 & 37)
• CDFW OCAP ITP for Longfin Smelt
  • CDFW OCAP ITP Condition 7 (800 acres of intertidal and associated subtidal wetland habitat in the mesohaline part of the Delta estuary) (PDF 5MB, see page 14)

CDFW’s Role in FRPA

CDFW is committed to work cooperatively with and assist DWR in establishing the management and financial framework necessary to implement a fish restoration program that will meet specific requirements of the BiOps and the CDFW ITP. The FRPA Implementation Strategy (PDF) describes how DWR, with assistance from CDFW, will plan and implement actions, including aquatic habitat restoration, principally for winter-run Chinook salmon, spring-run Chinook salmon, delta smelt, and longfin smelt to mitigate impacts to these species caused by the SWP Delta operations. Measures provided under the FRPA will likely benefit non-target fish species as well. Prior to implementing specific projects, CDFW will work with DWR to obtain any necessary permits and complete environmental compliance, such as preparing documents required pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.

FRPA Documents

• Fish Restoration Program Agreement (PDF)
• FRPA Implementation Strategy (PDF)

For more information, contact John Downs at John.Downs@Wildlife.ca.gov or (916) 445-1730.