Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program Advances Before the State Water Board

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The State Water Board today released another draft update to its Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan that includes two regulatory pathways:

1) a comprehensive Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) Program; and
2) a flow-only approach for parties not participating in the HRL Program.

Public water agencies in California — from Redding to San Diego — strongly support the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program as the best approach for California. The HRL Program provides the balance necessary to protect all beneficial uses of water and the best possible outcome for people, farms, fish and wildlife. We are committed to continue to work on this decades-long process with the State Water Board and its staff to address our remaining issues so that we are well positioned to support the State Water Board’s adoption of the Healthy River and Landscapes Program. As part of this process, we strongly urge the State Water Board over the next several months to fully embrace the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program presented by the state, federal and local agencies, as the HRL program delicately balances beneficial uses throughout California and is ready to be implemented by a coalition of agencies to improve the health of the Bay-Delta watershed.

The Best Path Forward for California

Advancing the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program means investing in a combination of flows integrated with on-the-ground habitat projects, creating multi-benefit water management strategies and state-wide policies that unite cities, communities, agriculture and conservationists. Together, we can build a resilient Bay-Delta where rivers, farms, refuges, and communities thrive. Our diverse coalition represents 32 million Californians and will improve conditions for fish and wildlife that rely on healthy rivers and landscapes.

Media Contacts:
Rebecca Nicholas | rnicholas@fionahuttonassoc.com
Joy Rust | jrust@norcalwater.org

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