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ADOPT A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE PROPOSED DELTA CONVEYANCE / DELTA TUNNELS PROJECT
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution formally opposing the State of California Department of Water Resources’ proposed Delta Conveyance Project (“Delta Tunnel”).
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Summary
The Delta Conveyance Project, commonly referred to as the Delta Tunnel, would divert water from the Sacramento River before it flows through the Delta, fundamentally altering Delta hydrology and potentially harming Stockton residents, industries, and Delta ecosystems. This resolution affirms the City of Stockton’s opposition and supports locally driven, equitable water solutions.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas and is vital to California’s environmental, economic, cultural, and social health. Stockton residents and local community rely on the Delta for drinking water, economic development, agriculture, recreation, fisheries, and flood protection.
The City of Stockton is a majority-minority community in the San Joaquin Valley that already bears significant environmental burdens. Much of the City lies within the official Delta and is surrounded by one of the richest agricultural and dairy regions in the State. Changes to Delta water quality due to the Delta Tunnel may have serious negative impacts on the 325,000 residents of the City.
As a result, the City of Stockton has consistently opposed isolated conveyance projects including the Peripheral Canal and the Twin Tunnels Projects that threatened Delta communities and natural resources where previous opposition was voiced in administrative, legislative, and judicial forums.
Present Situation
The State Department of Water Resources has proposed the Delta Conveyance Project, a massive infrastructure project that would construct a concrete-lined tunnel 40 ft. in diameter, 120 to 150 ft. below ground over 40 miles. The project would divert water supplies south, bypassing the Delta and connect to the State Water Project’s California Aqueduct to supply Southern California interests. Regional agencies, environmental scientists, and community stakeholders have raised concerns about its potential impacts, including:
• Degradation of water quality that is critical to Stockton residents and agriculture;
• Threats to the viability of fisheries and wildlife;
• Increased salinity intrusion and harmful algal blooms;
• Economic, cultural, and recreational harm to Delta communities;
• No clear or equitable benefit to Delta residents.
It is critical to maintain or improve Delta source water quality to ensure public confidence in the City’s future water supply.
For Stockton residents, potential impacts of the Delta Conveyance Project can include:
• Water Rate Impacts
The City’s utility ratepayers have been required to shoulder rate increases due to the City’s need for significant investment in its water supply and wastewater infrastructure as regulated by the State. Delta impacts may lead to additional water treatment infrastructure and rate increases.
• Tax or Bond Burden
Some of the financing may come from state or regional bonds, potentially affecting property taxes or utility fees.
The project cost has risen from earlier estimates, from $16 billion to $20.1 billion in 2023 dollars. However, in a separate analysis, Review and Assessment of Economic Issues Related to the Delta Conveyance Project, economic research firm ECOnorthwest found the costs would probably range from about $60 billion to $100 billion or even more (<https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59ee697fa9db0955b9b1c0ba/t/687525c0c6f00e2716e22ecb/1752507842431/C-WIN_ECOnorthwestDCP-Report.pdf>).
Approval of the Delta Tunnels as it is proposed is against City’s interests because the Delta Tunnel will cause significant impacts to water quality, including potential long-term impacts to public health, destabilize the City’s water supply, and shift the financial impacts of the project to the City’s ratepayers, a significant percentage of whom are economically disadvantaged.
The proposed resolution reflects Stockton’s commitment to sustainable water and environmental management strategies that emphasize conservation, reuse, regional self-sufficiency, levee investments, ecosystem restoration, groundwater recharge, and through-Delta conveyance alternatives.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
There is no direct financial impact associated with adopting this resolution.