Overview
- The Bureau of Reclamation adopted Action 5 to increase exports from the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, with Interior officials saying it strengthens water resilience and is not expected to cause significant environmental harm.
- California’s water leaders warned the shift could constrain the State Water Project’s ability to supply 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland, citing inadequate analysis and a break from decades of coordinated management.
- State and environmental officials said higher federal pumping would worsen conditions for Chinook salmon, steelhead and delta smelt, potentially forcing the state project to reduce its own pumping to protect fish.
- San Joaquin Valley agricultural districts welcomed the move, with one regional authority estimating an additional 250,000 to 400,000 acre-feet of water per year for farms and communities.
- The new rules take effect immediately and supplant the Biden–Newsom plan adopted in 2024, setting up likely legal challenges similar to past court fights over Delta operations.