The Sacramento Water Forum is a voluntary organization started by the City and County of Sacramento in 1993 in recognition that the lower American River requires diligent management to protect valuable municipal water supplies and the rich habitat that thrives in this corridor. The lower American River is that stretch from Nimbus Dam to the confluence of the Sacramento River. It is designated as a Wild and Scenic River under both state and federal law. In 1990 the State Water Board warned that the then flow standards were not adequate to protect the lower American River.
The Water Forum brought together diverse stakeholders including businesses, environmental groups and Sacramento basin water purveyors to negotiate and adopt in 2000 the initial 25-year Water Forum Agreement. This was a major accomplishment given the diverse interests at stake. But all stakeholders recognized then and now that only through cooperation, this essential resource can be preserved and enhanced.
The first Water Forum Agreement adopted coequal goals; (1) provide a reliable and safe water supply for the region and (2) preserve the fishery, wildlife, recreational and aesthetic values of the lower American River.
Clyde MacDonald represented SARA in negotiations for the first Water Forum Agreement as was instrumental as its representative on the Water Forum Environmental Caucus in negotiating the new agreement called the Water Forum 2050 Agreement covering the next 25 years. His mastery of the subject matter is well known and
Clyde received special recognition at the signing ceremony held on May 11, 2026. Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources was the keynote speaker and captured the spirit of the Water Forum when he said, “California faces growing water challenges driven by climate change, and the Sacramento region continues to demonstrate the value of collaboration and long-term planning with a multi-benefit approach.” State Senator Roger Niello also spoke about the unique nature of this cooperative approach, having been involved in the initial agreement.
Some essential elements of Water Forum 2050 are:
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American River Climate Adaptation Program which seeks more flexibility to adapt water use and storage such as groundwater recharge (banking), source shifting depending on conditions, conservation and flexible reservoir operations.
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Flow management by implementation of a Flow Management Standard providing guidelines for the operations of Folsom Dam to protect river health such as minimum flows and temperature controls and to promote reliable water supplies through flexible storage strategies.
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Conjunctive use which shifts water use to the river in wet years and promotes groundwater banking and then shifts to groundwater use in dry years to preserve flows and habitat health.
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Promotion of infrastructure construction and modification to help address the challenges of climate change by providing more flexibility to the overall system.
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Habitat restoration projects implemented by the Water Forum such as enhanced and restored spawning locations and channels.
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Development of refined metrics, science and monitoring to better understand the overall system to be able to adapt to new conditions.
The challenges facing the Sacramento basin seem overwhelming at times, but the Water Forum provides the opportunity to jointly understand and coordinate water management for a healthy community and environment. The contributions of people like Clyde MacDonald on behalf of SARA are invaluable.