Judge denies injunction, lets California water system operate unchanged

In a decision issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston declined to impose any limits on the operation of California’s extensive water conveyance network, concluding that the Center for Biological Diversity and other plaintiffs did not satisfy the heightened showing needed for a preliminary injunction. The lawsuit targeted the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s handling of Shasta Dam, the Central Valley Project, and the State Water Project, alleging non-compliance with a 2024 biological opinion issued under the Endangered Species Act.

The environmental groups sought to retain at least 2.4 million acre-feet of water in Shasta Reservoir through September and to enforce lower downstream temperatures to safeguard endangered salmon. Although the judge acknowledged newer temperature modeling indicating potentially severe impacts on incubating salmonid eggs, she stated that this alone does not justify court intervention without a stronger merits showing. She referenced the National Marine Fisheries Service’s opinion, which found the projects would not harm critical habitat, and highlighted the bureau’s projected storage figures as supporting its flexible operational approach. Ultimately, the court determined the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed on their claim and therefore denied the requested injunction.