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San Francisco PUC weighs river‑flow plan; public and commissioners press for peer review and early implementation
Summary
SFPUC staff outlined a proposed adaptive‑management approach to Bay‑Delta Phase 1 and Tuolumne River flows while dozens of public speakers, tribes and environmental groups urged support for the State Water Board's higher‑flow proposal, peer review of SFPUC modeling, and prompt early implementation. Commissioners asked staff for a January resolution detailing implementation steps, monitoring and communications.
Steve Ritchie, the SFPUC assistant general manager for water, told commissioners the utility remains "committed to adaptive management" for Tuolumne River fishery improvements while seeking to protect water reliability for customers. Ritchie said staff is close to a framework settlement with the state but urged an approach that couples a flow schedule with habitat ("non‑flow") measures and explicit adaptive management. "If the initial actions aren't successful we will take additional steps," he said.
Commissioners publicly pressed staff to move from negotiation to action. Commissioner Moran said the PUC must focus on "early implementation, commitment to outcomes, and creating net water" by accelerating conservation and new supplies. "We need to go on and prove that"…
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