MARYSVILLE, Calif. (Jan. 22, 2026) – The State Water Resources Control Board unanimously adopted an order extending its approval of the landmark Lower Yuba River Accord for another 25 years. Specifically, the board approved Yuba Water Agency’s petition for a long-term extension of the points of diversion and places of use associated with the Lower Yuba River Accord through 2050.
Since the mid-2000s, the Yuba Accord has advanced a broad suite of important benefits:
- For the environment, the Accord establishes science-based minimum instream flows to protect spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, using a flexible framework that adjusts based on annual hydrology.
- For Californians, the Accord provides a reliable source of water available to improve statewide water supplies, especially in dry years.
- In Yuba County, the Accord integrates surface water and groundwater management, ensuring a reliable source of supply to ensure local agricultural needs can be met, while also maintaining hydropower production needed to support Yuba Water’s primary mission of flood risk reduction.
The State Water Board’s action followed the completion of a comprehensive environmental review and an evidentiary hearing by the State Water Board’s Administrative Hearing Office. Numerous water agencies submitted letters to the State Water Board supporting extension of the Accord’s water transfer program, citing its many benefits.
“We appreciate the State Water Board’s action today, which ensures that the benefits of the Yuba Accord will continue to be realized for decades to come,” said Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey. “The Accord has served as a model for collaboration and partnership, which has resulted in improved conditions for fish and water security for the people of California. And, it’s proof that when you sit down with people and focus on your common interests, you can accomplish really remarkable things.”
The Accord has been recognized as a model for collaborative solutions to complex water resource management issues. In a May 2018 article, “The Yuba Accord – A Model for Water Management,” the Public Policy Institute of California described the positive impact of the Accord:
The Yuba Accord happened because parties came together to develop an alternative plan in response to a state order calling for more water to support endangered salmon. By leveraging local management tools – including increased use of groundwater on farms during droughts – the Accord has kept even more water in the river for fish than the state called for. This is a great example of how negotiated agreements can get broad buy-in and tap on-the-ground knowledge.
The Yuba Accord also received the Association of California Water Agencies’ 2008 Theodore Roosevelt Award for Environmental Excellence, the National Hydropower Association’s 2009 Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters Award and the 2009 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.
Learn more about the Lower Yuba River Accord at yubawater.org.