Improving Water Markets in California: Implementing the CALFED Recommendations

The CALFED Bay-Delta Program is an open, collaborative, state-federal-stakeholder effort seeking to develop a comprehensive long-term plan to restore ecosystem health and improve water management for beneficial uses of California's Bay-Delta system. Water transfers can play an important role in achieving that goal. As such, CALFED has identified several actions to be implemented that will help improve the framework upon which the water market operates throughout California. This paper will describe those actions and how implementation is being achieved or is planned to occur over the next several years. This will include discussions regarding stakeholders involvement and how the CALFED agencies, responsible for oversight for most of the water transfer proposals, are coordinating to resolve differences of opinion and to streamline repetitive processes.