Regular-General Government # 26.
Board of Supervisors
County Administrator
- Meeting Date:
- 09/08/2026
- Brief Title
- Presentation on Delta and Yolo Bypass Water Resources Program
From:
Michael Webb, County Administrative Officer, County Administrator's Office
Staff Contact:
Sabrina Snyder, Senior Management Analyst, County Administrator's Office
Supervisorial District Impact:
Countywide
Subject
Receive an update on major Delta and Yolo Bypass Water Resources Program initiatives affecting the Yolo Bypass and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, including the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study and Bay-Delta Plan; approve updates to the Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc Subcommittee Scope and Charge and to the Yolo County Position Statement on Regional Water Supply, Flood Protection, and Habitat Restoration Projects; and direct staff to develop and submit comment letters on behalf of the County pursuant to the Position Statement on covered projects such as the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study, Bay-Delta Plan, and Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership renewal. (No general fund impact) (Webb/Snyder) (Est. Staff Presentation: 20 min)
Recommended Action
- Receive presentation on Delta and Yolo Bypass Water Resources Program;
- Adopt the updated Yolo County Position Statement (Position Statement) on Regional Water Supply, Flood Protection, and Habitat Restoration Projects (Att. B);
- Direct staff to develop and submit comment letters on behalf of the County pursuant to the Position Statement on covered projects such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study, Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, and Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership renewal, addressing County priorities and key issues identified through staff review and consistent with the County’s adopted Position Statement; and
- Adopt the updated Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc Scope and Charge (Att. D).
Strategic Plan Goal(s)
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Thriving Residents |
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Collaborative Community |
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Sustainable Environment |
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Flourishing Agriculture |
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Robust Economy |
Reason for Recommended Action/Background
Several significant state and federal water resources planning efforts affecting Yolo County have reached important milestones and warrant an update to the Board of Supervisors. Most notably, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released the Draft Interim Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment for the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study, identifying expansion of the Fremont Weir and construction of a setback levee within the Upper Elkhorn Basin as the Tentatively Selected Plan. The proposal would substantially alter flood management within the northern Yolo Bypass and place approximately 1,200 acres of agricultural land into the expanded floodplain, reducing or eliminating the agricultural viability of the affected lands.
The State Water Resources Control Board has also released the final draft update to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed, including the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program, which has statewide implications and will influence water management, habitat restoration, and future projects within Yolo County.
These developments are occurring as the County and its regional partners, including Solano County, consider renewal of the Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership, an important forum for coordinating flood management, agriculture, habitat restoration, water supply, and other regional interests. Together, these efforts will influence future investment, land use, flood management, habitat restoration, and agricultural operations within the Yolo Bypass and Delta.
The presentation provides the Board with an overview of these interconnected efforts, recent developments, County participation and advocacy, and upcoming opportunities for engagement. As part of the presentation, staff will seek Board approval of the recommended actions set forth above. Briefly, those actions include:
Adoption of an updated Position Statement. The Board approved the current Position Statement on December 23, 2024. Staff seek Board approval of various edits as shown in Attachment C, which place increased weight on structured collaboration—such as through memorandums of understanding or similar strategies—to ensure meaningful County participation in the successful implementation of projects located in Yolo County that serve regional or statewide interests;
Direction to prepare and submit County comment letters on three high-priority efforts. As indicated above, three significant efforts with statewide or regional implications (and direct effects within Yolo County) are currently at a pivotal stage: the Comprehensive Study (Yolo Bypass expansion), Bay-Delta Plan Update, and Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership. The public comment deadlines for the Comprehensive Study and the Bay Delta Plan Update each end on September 18, 2026. Staff seek Board authority to prepare and send comment letters on each effort that raise issues and address County priorities consistent with the updated Position Statement. Also, staff seek Board authority to send a comment letter—possibly in coordination with Solano County and other local agencies—on the proposed renewal of the Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership. The Partnership is an important forum for regional collaboration, as mentioned above, but its original authorization expired in May 2026.
Update the Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc Subcommittee Scope and Charge. The Yolo Bypass ad hoc subcommittee currently operates under a scope and charge that generally confines its work to matters directly affecting the Yolo Bypass, including implementation of the Big Notch Project. It has not been updated in a few years. Staff proposed Board approval of an updated scope and charge that more closely mirrors the updated Position Statement and its treatment of flood protection, habitat restoration, and water supply projects that affect Yolo County but have statewide or regional implications, such as the Delta Conveyance Project.
More information on each of the foregoing will be provided during the presentation.
The State Water Resources Control Board has also released the final draft update to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Watershed, including the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program, which has statewide implications and will influence water management, habitat restoration, and future projects within Yolo County.
These developments are occurring as the County and its regional partners, including Solano County, consider renewal of the Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership, an important forum for coordinating flood management, agriculture, habitat restoration, water supply, and other regional interests. Together, these efforts will influence future investment, land use, flood management, habitat restoration, and agricultural operations within the Yolo Bypass and Delta.
The presentation provides the Board with an overview of these interconnected efforts, recent developments, County participation and advocacy, and upcoming opportunities for engagement. As part of the presentation, staff will seek Board approval of the recommended actions set forth above. Briefly, those actions include:
Adoption of an updated Position Statement. The Board approved the current Position Statement on December 23, 2024. Staff seek Board approval of various edits as shown in Attachment C, which place increased weight on structured collaboration—such as through memorandums of understanding or similar strategies—to ensure meaningful County participation in the successful implementation of projects located in Yolo County that serve regional or statewide interests;
Direction to prepare and submit County comment letters on three high-priority efforts. As indicated above, three significant efforts with statewide or regional implications (and direct effects within Yolo County) are currently at a pivotal stage: the Comprehensive Study (Yolo Bypass expansion), Bay-Delta Plan Update, and Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership. The public comment deadlines for the Comprehensive Study and the Bay Delta Plan Update each end on September 18, 2026. Staff seek Board authority to prepare and send comment letters on each effort that raise issues and address County priorities consistent with the updated Position Statement. Also, staff seek Board authority to send a comment letter—possibly in coordination with Solano County and other local agencies—on the proposed renewal of the Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership. The Partnership is an important forum for regional collaboration, as mentioned above, but its original authorization expired in May 2026.
Update the Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc Subcommittee Scope and Charge. The Yolo Bypass ad hoc subcommittee currently operates under a scope and charge that generally confines its work to matters directly affecting the Yolo Bypass, including implementation of the Big Notch Project. It has not been updated in a few years. Staff proposed Board approval of an updated scope and charge that more closely mirrors the updated Position Statement and its treatment of flood protection, habitat restoration, and water supply projects that affect Yolo County but have statewide or regional implications, such as the Delta Conveyance Project.
More information on each of the foregoing will be provided during the presentation.
Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies)
Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc, County Counsel
Fiscal Impact
No Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact (Expenditure)
- Total cost of recommended action:
- $ 0
- Amount budgeted for expenditure:
- $ 0
- Additional expenditure authority needed:
- $ 0
- On-going commitment (annual cost):
- $ 0
Source of Funds for this Expenditure
- General Fund
- $0
Further explanation as needed:
Adoption of the Position Statement has no fiscal impact.
Attachments
- Att. A. Presentation
- Att. B. 2026 Updated Yolo County Position Statement on Regional Water Supply, Flood Protection and Habitat Restoration Projects
- Att. C. 2026 Updated Yolo County Position Statement on Regional Water Supply, Flood Protection and Habitat Restoration Projects - track changes
- Attachment D. Updated Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc Scope and Charge
- Att. E. Comments from Chad Roberts
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Phil Pogledich | Sabrina Snyder | 08/27/2026 10:21 AM |
| Phil Pogledich | Phil Pogledich | 08/31/2026 01:42 PM |
| Phil Pogledich | Phil Pogledich | 08/31/2026 03:11 PM |
| Mark Bryan | Mark Bryan | 09/01/2026 11:11 AM |
| Michael Webb | Michael Webb | 09/01/2026 01:44 PM |
| Phil Pogledich | Phil Pogledich | 09/02/2026 06:17 AM |
| Mark Bryan | Mark Bryan | 09/02/2026 12:38 PM |
| Michael Webb | Michael Webb | 09/02/2026 01:19 PM |
| Cindy Perez | Cindy Perez | 09/02/2026 03:09 PM |
- Form Started By:
- Sabrina Snyder
- Started On:
- 07/10/2026 12:00 PM
- Final Approval Date:
- 09/02/2026