Central Delta Water Agency v. Cal. Dept. of Water Resources CA1/2

BACKGROUND

The Project The Lookout Slough Tidal Habitat Restoration and Flood Improvement Project (project) seeks to restore approximately 3,164 acres of tidal wetlands in the Cache Slough region of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta), while also widening a portion of the Yolo Bypass to reduce flood risk. The project would be designed and constructed by Ecosystem on land owned by the Department and located mostly in unincorporated southeastern Solano County, with a small portion extending into Yolo County. The project is intended to satisfy the Department’s tidal habitat restoration obligations under the United States Fish and Wildlife Biological Opinion for the Reinitiation of Consultation on the Coordinated Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. The project also is consistent with the National Marine Fisheries Service Salmonid Biological Opinion for Long-Term Coordinated Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. Once completed, the project will create habitat for Delta Smelt, longfin smelt, steelhead, salmon, sturgeon, giant garter snake, and other species.

2 All further statutory references are to CEQA provisions…