Report 2016-132 Recommendation 9 Responses

Report 2016-132: Department of Water Resources: The Unexpected Complexity of the California WaterFix Project Has Resulted in Significant Cost Increases and Delays (Release Date: October 2017)

Recommendation #9 To: Water Resources, Department of

In order to prepare for the potential approval of WaterFix and to ensure that the project is managed properly during the design and construction phase, DWR should develop and update when necessary the associated program management plan for the design and construction phase of the project.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020

As the owner and operator of the State Water Project, DWR is the lead in conducting the environmental review and permitting for the new Delta conveyance project.

DWR established the Delta Conveyance Office (DCO) in May 2018. To further support DWR's commitment to modernizing our infrastructure, the DCO is now integrated into the State Water Project. The DCO prepared and completed a Program Management Plan for the initial phase of the program - the Planning Phase; which includes the conceptual engineering, environmental planning, and permitting projects. This PMP can be found on the DCO SharePoint site and describes and defines DCO's management approach to scope, schedule, cost, time, quality, risk, communication, resources, integration, procurement, and safety, during this initial phase of the program. DCO completed the PMP draft in December 2019 and finalized the PMP in July 2020. This PMP is scheduled to be revisited every 6-months and updated as necessary pursuant to those reviews.

During the environmental planning phase of the renewed delta conveyance project, the DCA will provide conceptual engineering, field studies, and design work to inform the environmental planning process, and assist in evaluating and minimizing community impacts, under DWR's oversight. DCA has completed development of their Program Management Plan providing program-specific governance documents, guidelines, tools, and resources to DCA staff and subcontractors in achieving DCA's goals and objectives. DCA's PMP was completed in July of 2020, and copies of their management plans can be found on their SharePoint site.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

We reviewed program management documentation provided by DWR and found that these documents address our concerns over the existence of a program management plan for the Delta Conveyance Project, formerly known as WaterFix. These documents include program management plans for both the Delta Conveyance Office, DWR's unit overseeing the Delta Conveyance Project, and the Delta Conveyance Design & Construction Authority, a Joint Power's Authority consisting of DWR and public water agencies charged with engineering and design planning activities in support of the Delta Conveyance Project. DWR indicates in these plans that it will monitor and update these plans on an ongoing basis.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019

On May 2, 2019, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced that it will pursue a new environmental review and planning process for modernized water conveyance in the Delta. This effort is consistent with Governor Newsom's vision for water resilience and his directive for a single-tunnel project that will ensure water security. As the owner and operator of the State Water Project, DWR will be the lead in conducting the environmental review and permitting for the new delta conveyance project.

During the environmental planning phase of the renewed delta conveyance project, the DCA will provide engineering, field studies and design work to inform the environmental planning process, and assist in evaluating and minimizing community impacts under DWR's oversight. The DCA is currently developing a Program Management Plan (PMP) to provide Program-specific governance documents, guidelines, tools and resources to DCA staff and subcontractors in achieving DCA's goals and objectives. DCA's PMP is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2019.

DWR established the Delta Conveyance Office (DCO) in May 2018. To further support DWR's commitment to modernizing our infrastructure, the DCO is now integrated into the State Water Project. The DCO is developing a Program Management Plan for the environmental planning phase of the project. This PMP describes and defines the management of scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, communication and safety. DWR anticipates completing this PMP by the end of 2019.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

With the formation of the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) in Spring 2018, the DCA is responsible for the design and construction of the WaterFix project under the control and supervision of DWR. DWR and the DCA are developing separate program management plans that reflect their individual roles and responsibilities.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

The Department will carry out this recommendation prior to the implementation phase. Will Implement.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

The Department will carry out this recommendaton prior to the implementation phase.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2016-132

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.