Sacramento, Calif. – The following statement was released today by Jim Peifer, Executive Director of the Regional Water Authority, and Tom Gohring, Executive Director of the Water Forum, in response to the release of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s final Water Resilience Portfolio. The Portfolio is the Administration’s blueprint for equipping California to cope with more extreme droughts and floods, rising temperatures, declining fish populations, over-reliance on groundwater and other challenges.
“The Governor’s Portfolio moves California water into the 21st Century. We appreciate the vision and spirit embodied in the plan that empowers state and local agencies to work together to address the impacts of climate change. And, we are pleased to see that many of the plan’s recommendations support initiatives already under development here in the Sacramento region to help our community adapt to increasing threats of flood, fire and drought projected with climate change.
“The Governor’s Plan is helpful to the Sacramento region in several important areas:
- “The plan underscores that climate change will impact each region in California in unique ways and supports the role of local agencies in addressing the impacts and opportunities within their watershed. Rather than a top-down approach to climate planning, the Governor outlines a vision that empowers local agencies to create plans like the Sacramento Region Water Resilience Portfolio, which encompasses our entire supershed—from the mountain tops of the American River watershed to the urban core.
- “The plan puts a premium on multibenefit projects such as the Sacramento Regional Water Bank that have the potential to provide value across multiple areas, including water supply reliability, flood protection and environmental stewardship, both within a region and statewide. The Water Bank is an innovative groundwater storage program to improve water supply reliability and environmental conditions for the Sacramento region and potentially beyond.
- “The plan paves the way for local efforts to be successful by recognizing the need to make funding available for groundwater recharge projects with multiple benefits.
“We look forward to building on the successful collaboration of the Water Forum and Regional Water Authority by breaking down traditional silos that exist in managing our local water supplies, environment, flood risks and wastewater and creating stronger networks both within the region and with our state and federal agency partners.”
The Regional Water Authority (RWA) is a joint powers authority representing 21 water providers serving 2 million people in the greater Sacramento region. Formed in 2001, its primary mission is to help its members protect and enhance the reliability, availability, affordability and quality of water resources. Learn more at rwah2o.org.
The Sacramento Water Forum is a diverse group of business and agricultural leaders, citizen groups, environmentalists, water managers and local governments working together to balance two co-equal objectives: to provide a reliable and safe water supply for the Sacramento region’s long-term growth and economic health; and to preserve the fishery, wildlife, recreational, and aesthetic values of the lower American River. Learn more at waterforum.org.
