California says $2.6-billion pact can protect delta amid drought. Critics disagree

It’s a major source of California’s water supply and a vital habitat for fish, migratory birds and other species. State officials called the deal an important milestone in their efforts to balance the delta’s ecological needs with the water needs of Californians, and a key step toward larger “voluntary agreements” that can help ensure substantial flows for the health of the estuary. Gavin Newsom declared the plan a historic rejection of “old binaries” in favor of new solutions, while Blumenfeld said it would “move us away from ‘water wars’ of yesteryear.” Those claims drew strong criticism, however. Wade Crowfoot, California’s natural resources secretary, said the steps toward voluntary agreements among water agencies “hold promise to improve environmental conditions more quickly and holistically than regulatory requirements.” But the plan still needs to be endorsed by the State Water Resources Control Board, which is required to update its water-quality plan for the delta. “We don’t need to pay water districts for water that belongs to the people of California,” Rosenfield said.