- Federal review launched on September 3, 2025.
- Three scoping meetings are planned, with comments due October 3, 2025.
- Transfers could begin as soon as 2028, subject to annual approvals.
- No new demands would be served, only existing needs.
Thursday, September 4, 2025 — The Bureau of Reclamation
issued a notice of intent to prepare a joint environmental review for proposed one-year water transfers from willing sellers north of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta to buyers primarily south of the Delta and in the San Francisco Bay Area. The agency stated that the first transfers under this program could occur as early as 2028, pending review and approvals.
Scope of the environmental review.
Reclamation, as lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act, and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, as lead under the California Environmental Quality Act, will evaluate a defined range of transfer methods and alternatives. The review will analyze transfers proposed and approved one year at a time to supplement decreased supplies for existing demands. The agencies emphasize that transfers would not serve any new demands.
Who could sell, who could buy, and how water moves.
Potential sellers include water rights holders on the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and tributaries such as the Feather, Yuba, American, Stanislaus, and Merced. Potential buyers include the Contra Costa Water District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, and eight member agencies of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. Most transfers would move through the Delta using available State Water Project and Central Valley Project facilities. A separate Reclamation project page notes that up to 250,000 acre-feet per year could be contemplated under the proposed action.
Transfer methods under consideration.
The forthcoming Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report is set to evaluate a full range of voluntary transfer methods, including conservation actions that reduce irrecoverable losses, cropland idling, groundwater substitution pumping, crop shifting to lower-water-use crops, and reservoir release of non-project water. The agencies will also analyze two focused alternatives that exclude either cropland idling/crop shifting or groundwater substitution, as well as a No Action/No Project alternative.
Key issues the EIS/EIR will analyze.
The joint document will examine effects on surface-water flows and supply, water quality, groundwater levels and subsidence, air quality and greenhouse gases, fisheries and terrestrial habitat (including the federally threatened giant garter snake), agricultural land use, cultural and tribal resources, recreation, power and utilities, and flood control. Where needed, mitigation measures would be identified to avoid or minimize impacts.
How and when to comment.
According to the Federal Register notice, written comments on the scope and content of the environmental review are due by October 3, 2025. Reclamation and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority will hold three scoping meetings, with at least 15 days’ public notice; sessions will be offered both virtually and in person. Comments may be submitted by mail or email to:
Nicole Johnson
Bureau of Reclamation
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
Email: njohnson@usbr.gov
Oral comments received during the meetings will be recorded.
Editor’s note: This article is based on Reclamation’s September 3, 2025 newsroom notice, the agency’s project materials, and the September 3, 2025 Federal Register notice of intent. Image from the agency’s project materials.
