FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Austin Ewell, Executive Director
austin@ewellgroup.com
(559) 437-1990
June 23, 2025

Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley Takes Bold Steps
to Address California’s Water Crisis

Fresno, CA – The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, a coalition of farmers, water agencies, businesses, and community leaders, has taken decisive action to support the implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order 14181, aimed at restoring water supply reliability to California’s San Joaquin Valley. Through letters sent to President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and California Governor Gavin Newsom, as well as a detailed memorandum outlining stakeholder priorities, the Blueprint is advocating for urgent federal and state action to address the region’s worsening water crisis.

Letters to President Trump and Governor Newsom
On June 18, 2025, the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley sent letters to President Trump, Secretary Burgum, and Governor Newsom, urging immediate and aggressive implementation of Executive Order 14181 to address California’s water crisis. The letters emphasize the coalition’s support for the federal vision to increase water deliveries and modernize infrastructure, while calling for strong state-federal coordination to achieve measurable results.

The Blueprint’s letters outline a shared goal of increasing available water supply by 9 million acre-feet per year (MAF/yr) by 2040, with near-term progress through regulatory reforms and infrastructure development. The coalition urges the federal government to set this 9 MAF/yr goal as a benchmark, accelerate permitting for critical projects, and appoint experienced leaders to coordinate interagency efforts. Similarly, the letter to Governor Newsom calls for the state to adopt the 9 MAF/yr target, streamline permitting processes, and engage directly with federal agencies to reduce policy conflicts. The Blueprint stresses that only through a robust state-federal partnership can California overcome longstanding regulatory and legal barriers to water reliability.

These actions are critical for San Joaquin Valley water users, as the region’s agricultural economy and rural communities face devastating impacts from ongoing water shortages. By aligning state and federal efforts, the Blueprint aims to ensure a reliable water supply that supports California’s most productive agricultural region and sustains its economy and population.

Blueprint Memo on Stakeholder Priorities
The Water Blueprint’s memorandum, titled “Implementing Executive Order 14181 – Establishing Stakeholder Priorities for Federal Action and Leadership,” provides a practical roadmap for achieving the 9 MAF/yr water supply increase by 2040. The memo identifies four key priorities for federal agencies to deliver immediate and long-term results:

1. Update CVP and SWP Operational Rules: The memo calls for modernizing the operational criteria of the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) to yield at least 1 MAF/yr in additional deliveries. This includes real-time operational adjustments, rebalancing environmental flow objectives, and flexible reservoir management.
2. Eliminate Nonessential Regulatory Barriers: The Blueprint advocates for revising flow constraints that exceed Endangered Species Act requirements, potentially restoring 300,000 acre-feet per year in system flexibility and deliveries.
3. Accelerate Permitting for Infrastructure Projects: The memo prioritizes fast-tracking surface and groundwater storage, aquifer recharge, and conveyance upgrades, with a federal implementation schedule to be established by mid-2026.
4. Ensure Adequate Resources and Coordination: Effective implementation requires dedicated staff, clear interagency coordination, and regular progress reporting to stakeholders.

The memo underscores the need for competent federal leadership with experience in CVP/SWP coordination and navigating state-federal regulatory conflicts to ensure the Executive Order’s success.

These priorities are vital for San Joaquin Valley water users, who rely on a stable water supply to sustain agriculture, jobs, and community livelihoods. The proposed regulatory and infrastructure improvements will help address chronic supply shortfalls, ensuring the region can thrive economically and environmentally.

Why These Actions Matter
The San Joaquin Valley, a cornerstone of California’s agricultural productivity, faces unprecedented challenges due to water shortages that threaten farmers, businesses, and rural communities. The Water Blueprint’s actions—through this federal and state correspondence and memorandum—provide a clear, results-focused plan to restore water reliability. By advocating for a 9 MAF/yr increase in water supply, the coalition is addressing the scale of the crisis while pushing for immediate regulatory reforms and infrastructure investments. These efforts will support the Valley’s economy, preserve its agricultural heritage, and ensure a sustainable water future for Central and Southern California.

The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley is committed to working with federal and state leaders to turn this once-in-a-generation opportunity into lasting progress. Copies of the letters and Stakeholder Priorities memo are available at https://waterblueprintca.com/news/. For more information, contact Austin Ewell, Executive Director, at (559) 437-1990.