California Construction News staff writer
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released a new plan aimed at addressing community concerns during construction of the Delta Conveyance Project, a massive water infrastructure upgrade intended to modernize the State Water Project.
The Accountability Action Plan outlines steps to avoid, reduce or offset impacts on residents, businesses, tribes and visitors to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. It includes a $200 million Community Benefits Program for neighborhoods near construction sites, as well as measures to increase transparency and public engagement.
The plan follows years of environmental analysis, permitting, public review and outreach, including more than 7,000 public comments. According to DWR, the measures are designed to ensure affected communities have clear channels to raise concerns, track commitments and participate in decision-making throughout the construction process.
Five core components make up the plan:
- Ombudsman Office to serve as a single point of contact for resolving construction-related issues.
- Regulatory Mitigation through monitoring and enforcement of environmental protection measures.
- Community Benefits Program providing grants and other tangible support to impacted areas.
- Community Advisory Groups to involve local voices in project-related decisions.
- Project Communications offering regular updates, outreach and opportunities for public feedback.
The Delta Conveyance Project would add a tunnel to move water from the Sacramento River south through the State Water Project, improving the ability to capture and store water during periods of high flow. State officials say it would also reduce earthquake risk and bolster water reliability for 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.
Construction planning for the single-tunnel project began in 2019, replacing an earlier twin-tunnel proposal. No construction start date has been set, but DWR said the new accountability framework will remain in place for the duration of the project.
