Trump Administration Increases California Central Valley Water Deliveries

The Donald Trump administration implemented a new operational plan, known as Action 5, for the federally managed Central Valley Project to increase water deliveries to farms in California's Central Valley. The plan follows a January executive order titled "Putting People over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California." The Bureau of Reclamation modified project operations to increase annual water deliveries by 130,000 to 180,000 acre-feet from the Central Valley Project and 120,000 to 220,000 acre-feet from the State Water Project.

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Andrea Travnicek defended the move as a way to strengthen California's water resilience and balance the needs of agriculture and ecosystems. Agricultural entities, including the Westlands Water District, supported the decision as critical for the national food supply.

Governor Gavin Newsom and environmental groups condemned the plan, arguing it prioritizes politics over science and threatens endangered species such as the delta smelt and Chinook salmon. Critics warned the increased pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta could compromise water supplies for 27 million people. Additionally, President Trump claimed Newsom's refusal to sign a water restoration declaration contributed to deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County, a claim Newsom's office dismissed as "pure fiction."