Bay-Delta Plan Could Reshape California Farming and Raise Water Bills

Public hearings around California have made the stakes unmistakable: environmental groups argue that the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delt accelerating ecological decline requires immediate action, while farm districts and urban water agencies warn any changes to water policy could disrupt supply chains, threaten major segments of the state’s agricultural economy, and drive up water bills for households across California.

With those stakes at play, California regulators are moving toward the final approval of The Bay-Delta Plan, which would require more freshwater to remain in rivers and estuaries, limiting how much can be pumped south during much of the year.