Implementing the San Joaquin River Settlement Agreement; The Unique Role of the Restoration Administrator within a Federal Program

The Settlement Agreement between the Friant Water Users, Natural Resources Defense Council and United States Bureau of Reclamation established restoration goal and water management goals for the San Joaquin River.  The Settlement Agreement confirmed state and federal responsibility for implementing the Settlement Agreement and achieving co-equal restoration and water management goals, with 2 state and 3 federal Implementing Agencies sharing those state/federal responsibilities.  The Settlement Agreement also established an independent “Restoration Administrator” to advise the Secretary of Interior on implementing Interim Flows and Restoration Flows, reintroducing salmonids, identifying research needs, and implementing channel and structural improvements needed to achieve the Restoration Goal.  The Restoration Administrator is selected by the non-Federal settling parties and funded by the State, and advised by a six-member Technical Advisory Committee appointed by the non-federal settling parties. This organizational structure creates parallel paths for providing recommendations to the Secretary of Interior: one via the Restoration Administrator, and one through the joint efforts of the five state/federal implementing agencies. This organizational structure is somewhat unique among large restoration programs in the United States.  It creates a unique set of opportunities and challenges in implementing the Settlement Agreement.  My presentation will provide an overview of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP) organization and describe how technical and management information is routed through program participants and how the Restoration Administrator works within this organizational structure to fulfill the responsibility of advising the Secretary of Interior.  I also will discuss some of the unique opportunities and challenges confronted by the Restoration Administrator and Implementing Agencies as the SJRRP progresses.