COMMITTEE AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Stream Planning and Operations Committee
Government Code § 84308 Applies: Yes ☐ No ☒
(If “YES” Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code § 84308)
SUBJECT: title
Receive and Discuss Updates on Fish and Aquatic Habitat Collaborative Effort (FAHCE) Implementation.
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RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Receive an update on the implementation of FAHCE.
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SUMMARY:
This item provides an overview of FAHCE activities since the last regular Stream Planning and Operations Committee (SPOC) meeting on November 18, 2025.
A. Key Activities
Since the November 18, 2025, SPOC meeting, Valley Water, California Trout, Inc., Northern California Council of Fly Fishers International, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and San Francisco Baykeeper (Protestants) have been intensely engaged in mediation concerning Valley Water’s FAHCE-related water rights’ change petitions for Stevens Creek and Guadalupe River watersheds.
In addition to working on resolving these water rights protests, Valley Water continued to implement rule curves, collect monitoring data, and prepare the Annual Report for 2025/2026.
Water Rights Change Petitions
On January 16, 2026, Valley Water and the Protestants jointly submitted an Agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) to resolve the change petition protests. The filing included 1) the Agreement to Resolve Protests with proposed water right conditions, and 2) a revised Fish Habitat Restoration Implementation Plan (FHRP; Attachment 1). On February 11, 2026, the State Board hosted a status conference to review the submitted materials and outline a process for approving the proposed water rights license change petitions and new water right conditions over the next few months.
The revised FHRP includes a commitment to develop new Biological and Environmental Objectives, a process to scientifically evaluate the proposed targets for achievability, changes to the adaptive management process, and the inclusion of other native fish species. These changes will be collaboratively implemented by the Adaptive Management Team (AMT) and will require additional studies and monitoring efforts. The Agreement also includes a commitment to return to the State Board with an updated FHRP in five years.
FAHCE Initialing Parties, Adaptive Management Team and Operations Workgroups
On December 1, 2025 VW held an AMT meeting of the Initialing Parties and Protestants to discuss the following: the status of the State Water Board Petitions, future modifications to the living AMT charter, development of a scope of services for additional creek mapping and modeling work requested by the Protestants, and to review the report recommendations from the 2024 Water Year Annual Report (October 2023 - September 2024).
On February 12, 2026, Valley Water hosted the annual Operations Workgroup meeting, which included CDFW and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). During the meeting, members discussed the status of winter reservoir operations and the outlook for spring and summer operations. One change to the Stevens Creek Reservoir’s attraction pulse flow rule curve was recommended by Valley Water, and the OWG members voted to support it. This change will be implemented this year, pending storage levels, and the AMT will have an opportunity to vote to make it a permanent change in the next Annual Report.
On February 23, 2026, another AMT meeting was held to finalize the Annual Report for Water Year 2024 and make progress on the actions outlined in the revised FRHP.
B. Next Steps
Valley Water will release the Draft Annual Report for the 2025 Water Year for AMT review in mid-March. Other near-term AMT activities include further refinement of the AMT charter and developing a study proposal for Stevens Creek to support the development of new Biological and Environmental Objectives. The AMT will likely meet more regularly over the next few months to advance these activities.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
There are no environmental justice impacts from this item.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: FAHCE Fish Habitat Restoration Prog. Impl. Plan
Attachment 2: PowerPoint
UNCLASSIFIED MANAGER:
Manager
John Bourgeois, 408-630-2990