Environmental Groups Sue California for Approving Delta Tunnel

The California Department of Water Resources approved a controversial tunnel project in the San Francisco Bay area without fully considering its effects on tribal communities and endangered fish populations, a coalition of environmental groups said in a state lawsuit.

The Delta Conveyance Project intends to construct a tunnel that will divert water from the Sacramento River and prevent freshwater from flowing into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta—which already faces problems from inadequate water supply, San Francisco Baykeeper and other groups said.

The delta provides essential habitat for more than 500 species of fish and wildlife, including a number of species protected ...