The 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) mandated changes in management of the Central Valley Project, particularly for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife.
The CVPIA added water for the environment as one of the stated purposes of the project, requiring the dedication of 800,000 acre-feet of CVP water towards the restoration of fisheries as well as firm supplies for wildlife refuges. Provisions also addressed issues, such as water transfers, contract terms, and tiered water pricing.
Environmentalists considered passage of the CVPIA a victory, while the agricultural community considered it a disaster. Over 20 years later, despite millions of dollars spent and thousands of acre-feet of water, the benefits to the fish populations have yet to be realized, and the controversy remains.
For more information …
- Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), webpage by Bureau of Reclamation
Related: For more on the Central Valley Project, visit my Central Valley Project page.
