Independent Review of the Delta Protection Commission Economic Sustainability Plan

Products:

Transmittal Letter from Dr. Cliff Dahm to the Delta Stewardship Council and Delta Protection Commission

Independent Panel Review of the Economic Sustainability Plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (December 2, 2011)

Response from Delta Protection Commission Chair Michael Machado and Dr. Jeffrey A. Michael, Principal Investigator, Economic Sustainability Plan

Presentation of Panel’s Initial Findings

Meeting Notice – November 1-2, 2011

Review Materials and Background Information

Background:

The Delta Reform Act of 2009 created the Delta Stewardship Council and charged it with developing a Delta Plan to achieve the coequal goals of "providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem."

Recognizing the potential impact of the Delta Plan on the people and economy of the Delta, the Delta Reform Act stated that the coequal goals of water supply reliability and restoring the Delta ecosystem "shall be achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place." 

With the passage of the Delta legislative water package in November 2009, (SB X7 1 Section 29759), the Delta Protection Commission (DPC) was tasked with development of an Economic Sustainability Plan. In accordance with the legislation, the Economic Sustainability Plan shall include information and recommendations that inform the Delta Stewardship Council's policies regarding the socioeconomic sustainability of the Delta region. More specifically, the legislation states that the Plan will include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Public safety recommendations, such as flood protection recommendations.
2. The economic goals, policies, and objectives in local general plans and other local economic efforts, including recommendations on continued socioeconomic sustainability of agriculture and its infrastructure and legacy communities in the Delta.
3. Comments and recommendations to the Department of Water Resources concerning its periodic update of the flood management plan for the Delta.
4. Identification of ways to encourage recreational investment along the key river corridors, as appropriate.

At the request of the Executive Officers of the DSC and DPC, the Delta Science Program is convening an Independent Science Review Panel to review the Oct. 10, 2011 draft of the Delta Protection Commission Economic Sustainability Plan. This third draft report analyzes the impact of policies being considered on the economic sustainability of the Delta. Earlier drafts were released on July 21 and August 9, 2011.

Timeline:

• November 2011 – The Panel convenes in Sacramento to discuss the Economic Sustainability Plan and to make initial recommendations.
• December 2, 2011 – Panel report completed. 

Charge to the Independent Review Panel:

The charge to the panel provides the purpose, background, initial list of documents, and specific questions for the panel to start the review process. It provides the direction, context, and timelines for the review.

• Final Charge to the Panel

Review Panel Members: 

Panel Member Bios
 

• Robert Gilbert, PhD, University of Texas
• Janie Chermak, PhD, University of New Mexico
• William F. Marcuson, III, Ph.D. P.E., Hon. M.ASCE.
• Richard Adams, Ph.D., University of Oregon
• Thomas R. Harris, Ph.D., University of Nevada