For Immediate Release:
August 20, 2026
Contact:
Ashley Castaneda, ashley@restorethedelta.org
SACRAMENTO — Today, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) released the updated San Francisco Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan (“Bay-Delta Plan”), a critical policy guiding water quality, river flows, and ecosystem protections for the state’s largest and most fragile estuary.
The updated plan was met with immediate backlash from the Delta Tribal Environmental Coalition (DTEC)—consisting of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Little Manila Rising, and Restore the Delta—for failing to make meaningful changes to address longstanding Tribal, environmental justice, and ecological concerns.
Among the coalition’s central concerns is the plan’s reliance on Voluntary Agreements (VAs), privately negotiated deals allowing powerful water districts to offer limited flow commitments and funding in exchange for exemptions from stronger, enforceable regulatory requirements.
Tribal groups, environmental justice organizations and conservation groups say the VA approach is not scientifically sound and lacks adequate, enforceable protections needed to safeguard threatened fish species and address harmful algal blooms (HABs). The updated plan also fails to establish a comprehensive HAB standard and provides only limited provisions for HAB monitoring.
DTEC is calling on the State Water Board to prioritize strong, science-based, and enforceable protections for Delta water quality and ecosystems.
“This final update to the Bay-Delta plan once again falls short of meeting the needs of the region,” said Morgen Snyder, Director of Policy and Programs at Restore the Delta. “We face an extinction crisis, a health crisis, and a cultural crisis that could and should have been addressed by the Water Board through a comprehensive HABs standard, and flow standards that are actually protective of environmental, cultural, and other beneficial uses of water. The Voluntary Agreements are not only an expensive drain on financial resources, but will only deepen the threats we see and experience on the ground.”
The plan also falls short in adequately recognizing Tribal sovereignty and incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge. In particular, DTEC is concerned about the lack of clear and enforceable standards for protecting Tribal Beneficial Uses.
The coalition is also raising concerns about the State Water Board’s process for reviewing and revising the plan. Key Tribal and environmental stakeholders have faced compressed timelines for reviewing extensive technical materials and submitting public comments. Hearings and deadlines have also repeatedly coincided with holidays and active Tribal ceremony dates, creating additional barriers to meaningful participation.
As a result, DTEC will submit a formal request for additional time to review the materials and provide input before the Board moves forward with the plan.
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