SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources in coordination with National Marine Fisheries Service have scheduled a public workshop for the 2012 coordinated operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. This workshop has been scheduled in response to the June 4, 2009, National Marine Fisheries Service Biological and Conference Opinion issued on the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project.

This BO concluded that the CVP/SWP coordinated operation was likely to jeopardize the continued existence of several federally listed species under NMFS jurisdiction. Consequently, NMFS provided a reasonable and prudent alternative that met the criteria of 50 CFR 402.02 and included a provision for an annual science peer review and workshop.

The goal of the workshop is to: 1) provide an Independent Review Panel a forum for presentations and discussion of submitted technical reports; 2) develop lessons learned; 3) incorporate new science; and 4) make appropriate scientifically justified adjustments to the RPA or its implementation to support real-time decision making for the next water year. Additionally, the IRP will inform NMFS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service whether or not the desired effectiveness was accomplished by prior years’ water operations and regulatory actions, as prescribed in the coordinated long-term operation RPA.

This year’s annual review will focus on the implementation of NMFS Long-term Operation Opinion RPA specific to Clear Creek actions (I.1.1 – I.1.6) and the Spring 2012 Delta Operations in lieu of NMFS’ RPA Action IV.2.1 per joint stipulation (Spring 2012 Delta Operations) for operations and fisheries for water year 2012 (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012).

The workshop is scheduled over two days in Sacramento:

Wednesday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Park Tower Conference Center 980 Ninth St., Second Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95814

The workshop will have an Instant Net Conference web page and a call-in line for audio. Public comment through this courtesy service will be limited to written comments and may not receive a response during the meeting. To participate via the website: http://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?sigKey=mymeetings&i=749552140&p=OCAP&t=c . To call-in for audio: 1-877-402-9753, Participant Pass Code: 1882129.

For additional information, please contact Donna Garcia, Reclamation, at 916-979-0264 or e-mail dcgarcia@usbr.gov, or Lindsay Correa, Delta Stewardship Council, at 916-445-0092 or e-mail lcorrea@deltacouncil.ca.gov. The public is encouraged to visit the Delta Science Program website at http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov/science-program for the meeting materials. A limited number of copies of these materials will be available at the meeting. Reasonable time limits may be established for public comments (California Government Code Sections 11125).