Delta Caucus Secures $158.2 Million in State Funds for Delta Levees & State Water Project

Delta Caucus Co-Chairs Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) and Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) applauded the Legislature’s approval today of $158.2 million to protect the Delta and the State Water Project.

The state Legislature approved $90.2 million to protect the Delta and fortify its aging levees, along with up to $68 million to safeguard the State Water Project’s (SWP) California Aqueduct and canals, which are being undermined by the over-drafting of groundwater. The budget funding was secured by the California Legislative Delta Caucus.

“Today’s vote was truly historic. California’s water wars may finally be over. Today we joined together, North and South, environmental groups and State Water Contractors, to support vital projects that will protect California’s water and the Delta, while also benefitting the entire state,” Sen. McNerney said. “But we’re not done. This historic investment is just a downpayment. In the years to come, we need to continue to protect California’s primary supply of freshwater.”

“As co-chair of the California Legislative Delta Caucus, I am proud that we fought for and delivered $158.2 million in the state budget for critical Delta levee repairs and State Water Project subsidence repairs,” Assemblywoman Wilson said. “These investments, including $90.2 million for levees and up to $68 million for subsidence, are about protecting the people, communities, economy, and environment of the Delta, while ensuring California’s water infrastructure remains strong for generations to come.”

The budget funding allocation was supported by the environmental group Restore the Delta and State Water Contractors, which receive water from the SWP.

"Restore the Delta is grateful to Sen. McNerney and the Delta Caucus for advocating for funding for the Delta levees, which protect 4 million Delta area residents, a $7 billion Delta economy, drinking water supplies for the state, and critical ecosystems,” said Morgen Snyder, director of Policy and Programs, Restore the Delta. “We hope this is the starting point of a long-term commitment to full fund the much-needed upgrades to this crucial infrastructure." 

Together, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the SWP make up California’s primary water system, providing freshwater supplies to 27 million people, businesses, and farms in the Central Valley, the Bay Area, and Southern California. The Delta also supports a vibrantly diverse ecosystem of plants and animals.

The $158.2 million in funding for vital water projects was approved today as part of the budget bill AB 113. The funding will come from Proposition 4, the $10 billion bond measure approved by California voters in 2024. Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to sign the budget bill in the days ahead.

Of the $90.2 million for the Delta, $75 million will be for projects that repair levees and improve flood protection and climate resiliency. In addition, the budget allocates $15.2 million to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy to reduce the risks of climate change impacts on communities, fish and wildlife, and natural resources.

Many of the Delta’s critical levees date to the 1800s and are at risk of breaching because they no longer meet the US Army Corp of Engineers safety standards. Making the necessary levee improvements will cost, in total, about $3.24 billion. 

Today’s vote also included up to $68 million to repair SWP’s California Aqueduct and canals, which are being impacted by sinking land. Over-pumping of groundwater has led to significant land subsidence along the California Aqueduct, which delivers water from the Delta to much of the state. If not repaired, subsidence threatens to reduce the water carrying capacity of the SWP by 87% by 2040. Subsidence repairs to the SWP are estimated to cost about $3 billion over 20 years.

Also included in today’s budget approval was $5 million to acquire Jersey Island in the Delta and repair its levees. The $5 million was a Delta Caucus priority request, championed by Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, D-Yolo, a Delta Caucus member.

"Acquiring Jersey Island is a win for the entire state of California. It sits in a particularly important spot in the western Delta, where a levee failure could threaten the water quality and water access that millions of Californians depend on,” Sen. Cabaldon said. “By acquiring this island, we can ease the pressure on its levees, guard against saltwater rushing in, and open the door to restoring critical wetlands. Down the road, reflooding will stop the greenhouse gas emissions the island currently produces, turning a liability into a climate asset while protecting one of the most important stretches of levee in the western Delta."

In addition, earlier this year, the budget included $6 million to address the invasive golden mussel infestation in the Delta. The request was also a Delta Caucus priority, championed by Asm. Rhodesia Ransom, D-Stockton.

“The fight to protect the Delta and California’s waterways from the invasive golden mussel has been one of my top priorities. The Delta has been ground zero for the golden mussel infestation, putting our critical water infrastructure at risk, which supplies millions of Californians and supports millions of acres of farmland,” Asm. Ransom said. “That’s why I’m proud to have authored AB 2032 and secured the $6 million investment to give San Joaquin Delta water managers the resources they need to respond to the issue right now. I appreciate the Delta Caucus’ support of these priorities. We must prioritize safeguarding our critical water supply every day.”