Pulse Flows Component of the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) Groundwater Projects

The Pulse Flows Component of the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) Groundwater Projects is an initiative led by the Inland Empire Utilities Agency to improve habitat and migration conditions for listed salmonids and other native fish species. The project involves the release of pulse flows from Lake Oroville into the Low Flow Channel of the Feather River, the implementation of the WSIP Operational Exchange Process to develop water for these releases, and the diversion and conveyance of water to Kern Fan and Willow Springs for ecosystem benefit and storage. The project utilizes existing facilities with operational modifications and does not require the construction of new facilities. The scope of the project covers a study area extending approximately 575 miles from Lake Oroville in Northern California to the WSIP Groundwater Projects in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. This vast area is divided into seven geographic zones, including the Oroville Complex, the Feather River channels, the Sacramento River, the Delta, the Harvey O. Banks Delta Pumping Plant, and the San Luis Reservoir. The project traverses sixteen California counties, including Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino. Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has been certified through a Final Recirculated Program Environmental Impact Report, with the project being formally approved and notices of determination filed in July 2026.