CWIS -- Department of Water Resources

Department of Water Resources

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is to manage the water resources of California, in cooperation with other agencies, to benefit the State's people and to protect, restore, and enhance the natural and human environment.

Major Roles and Responsibilities in Wetlands Management

DWR's roles and responsibilities in wetlands management include avoidance and mitigation of wetlands impacts, wetlands protection and restoration, and technical assistance regarding water management.

DWR is responsible for constructing, operating, and maintaining the State Water Project. As part of this responsibility, DWR is required to avoid, minimize, or mitigate for wetland impacts. The largest wetland mitigation project in which DWR is currently involved mitigates for water quality impacts to Suisun Marsh. DWR has spent approximately $40 million to enhance supplies for private and public wetlands in the marsh. DWR is also evaluating the benefit of developing a wetland mitigation bank on lands it owns in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, including Twitchell and Sherman Islands.

DWR programs that support the protection and restoration of wetland habitat are numerous. Some of these programs are mentioned below.

DWR manages the Urban Stream Restoration Program which assists project proponents in resolving bank erosion and flood problems and protects natural environmental values of streams.
DWR provides staff for the Upper Sacramento River Advisory Council which seeks to restore the Upper Sacramento River to a continuous riparian ecosystem.
DWR is active in developing and implementing the San Joaquin River Management Program - a multi-objective river management program.
DWR and the California Department of Fish and Game are implementing a memorandum of understanding designed to assure no net long-term loss of fish and wildlife habitat in connection with work on Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta levees.
DWR's Floodplain Management Program provides communities with information on laws, regulations, and land use practices which promote the protection of the 100-year floodplain. The primary objective of this program is to reduce flood damages. However, as a result of this program, wetland and riparian habitat in the floodplain are protected.

DWR also offers technical assistance in areas such as engineering, hydrology, mapping, water quality, and water use which are used in the protection and management of wetland an riparian habitats.

Legal Mandate

Several of the legal mandates governing DWR programs that involve wetland and riparian activities include:

California State Water Resources Control Board's water rights decisions directing DWR and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to develop a plan and monitoring network to meet water quality standards in Suisun Marsh.
The Urban Streams Restoration Program established under Water Code §7048.
The Floodplain Management Program established under Water Code §8400 et seq. (Coby-Alquist Floodplain Management Act).

DWR is also currently preparing a report required by the Central Valley Improvement Act to assess the water needs and alternative water supplies for private and public wetlands in the Central Valley not provided in the Act.

For more information on the Department of Water Resources contact:

Jim Martin, Wetlands Restoration Coordinator, (916) 227-7519

Mailing address:
Environmental Services Office
Department of Water Resources
3251 S Street
Sacramento, CA 95816

SUSUIN MARSH PROGRAM
Curt Schmutte, Program Manager, (916) 227-7567
Email: schmutte@water.ca.gov

Mailing address:
Suisun Marsh Branch
Environmental Services Office
Department of Water Resources
3251 S Street, Room A-15
Sacramento, CA 95816

URBAN STREAMS RESTORATION PROGRAM
Sara Denzler, (916) 651-9625, Fax (916) 652-9289

Mailing address:
Urban Streams Restoration Program
Division of Local Assistance
Department of Water Resources
901 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

SAN JOAQUIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Ernie Taylor, (559) 230-3352
Email: etaylor@water.ca.gov

Mailing address:
Department of Water Resources
San Joaquin Management Program
San Joaquin District Office
3374 East Sheilds Ave
Fresno, CA 93726

Webmaster: wetlands@resources.ca.gov