Avoid water delivery interruptions resulting from emergencies.
The Measure
No water-delivery interruption due to floods or earthquakes in the Delta.
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Expectations
Investments in levees and emergency planning reduce the risk of disruption of water deliveries through the Delta due to levee failures caused by floods and earthquakes.
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Performance Metrics
- Number of water-delivery interruptions caused by floods or earthquakes in the Delta.
- Acre-feet of water not delivered due to disruptions caused by floods or earthquakes in the Delta.
Water Delivery Interruptions
There have been no significant water delivery interruption since the performance measure was adopted in April 2018.
In the winter of 2017, the Oroville Dam, a part of the State Water Project, was damaged due to a heavy rainfall. No water delivery interruptions were reported but damages to the Oroville Dam main and emergency spillways caused evacuations of over 100,000 people living downstream. Read the independent forensic team report on the incident to learn more.
Next Data Update: If water delivery interruptions resulting from emergencies occur, information will be updated in January of the following year.
The levees protecting Delta islands are important to California’s water supply. The Delta levees form channels that convey water through the Delta to users in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, or Southern California. Some levees prevent saltwater intrusion into Delta water supplies by forming a barrier between the Delta and the Bay. Should the levees that protect these channels fail, the impacts on water supplies could be felt statewide.
Investments in levees and emergency planning reduce the risk of disruption of water deliveries through the Delta caused by levee failures due to floods and earthquakes. This performance measure will track water-delivery interruptions resulting from hazardous conditions in the Delta.
California is one of the most seismically active states in the country. Earthquakes are common and have at times been devastating. Risk assessments of the Delta have shown that much of the Delta is at risk from earthquakes (Suddeth et al 2010; Mount and Twiss 2005). In the Delta, earthquakes have the potential to breach levees, create flooding, and compromise critical water conveyance infrastructure. Because water users across the state rely heavily on water exports from the Delta, a disruption of water exports, whether caused by earthquakes or something else, put water supplies across the California at risk.
Each chapter of the Delta plan includes strategies to achieve the goals of the plan. These strategies are general guidance on achieving the objective laid out in the plan and in the Delta Reform Act of 2009. Associated with these strategies are recommendations. Strategies may also have associated performance measures. Delta Plan performance measures track progress in achieving desired outcomes for the Delta Plan. Below is the strategy associated with this performance measure.
Delta Plan Strategy
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Prioritize Investment in Delta Flood Management
Metric
Number of water-delivery interruptions caused by floods or earthquakes in the Delta. This performance measure will be assessed following any major floods or earthquakes in the Delta.
Acre-feet of water not delivered due to disruptions caused by floods or earthquakes in the Delta. This performance measure will be evaluated following any major floods or earthquakes in the Delta.
Baseline
Not applicable because this measure has a prescribed target and is not showing a change from a baseline.
Target
No water delivery interruptions. This target is to be achieved upon adoption of this performance measure.
Data sources for this measure would be developed following major floods or earthquakes in the Delta.