Riverine Stewardship Program

The Riverine Stewardship Program (RSP) is codified in state law (CWC 7049), and its component subprograms (Fish Passage Improvement Program, San Joaquin Fish Population Enhancement Program (SJFPEP), RSP Grants, and the Urban Streams Restoration Program (USRP)) have delivered over forty years of technical expertise to manage and improve California’s natural resources for people and the environment.  

Proposition 4 Grant Opportunities

DWR will provide competitive grant funding through the USRP for planning and implementation of projects that restore streams, creeks, and rivers to enhance the environment for fish, wildlife, and people. For more information on the grant solicitation, visit the Riverine Stewardship Program – Grants webpage. View other grant and loan opportunities with DWR. The RSP may provide non-competitive directed action grant funding through the RSP (see Announcements below).

Services We Provide

The Riverine Stewardship Program is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of planners, engineers, geologists, ecologists, and fisheries biologists with decades of combined experience leading and implementing fish passage improvement, habitat restoration, and salmon reintroduction projects in California. The Program leads diverse partnerships with Tribes, local, state, and federal agencies, nonprofits, and community groups to inclusively plan for and implement practical fish passage and habitat restoration projects. 

Technical assistance is available to eligible recipients serving current or future projects that benefit disadvantaged communities and/or vulnerable populations. These services are dependent on the current availability of funding, program staff with the appropriate expertise, purpose of the project, and site-specific considerations. Contact us at RSP@water.ca.gov for more information.

Announcements

RSP Salmon Coldwater Expansion and Reintroduction - Draft Guidelines Released

Published: March 30, 2026

The RSP plays a crucial role in expanding salmon habitats, improving fish passage along complex migration routes from spawning grounds to the ocean and back again, and engineering fish passage solutions to support reintroducing Central Valley salmonids to their historical high-quality, cold water habitats, including those behind smaller obsolete facilities and the major rim dams that will remain permanent fixtures of California’s water infrastructure. The RSP's Salmon Coldwater Expansion and Reintroduction (SCE&R) funding is focused on supporting the goals of the California Salmon Strategy to help recover salmon in the long-term and reduce the risk of extinction in the near-term. 

Public Comment Period is Now Closed

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is pleased to announce the posting of Draft Guidelines, formally opening a 45-day public comment period from March 30 to May 14, 2026.

Download the document here: Draft Guidelines (2026)

Please provide comments by 5:00 P.M. on May 14, 2026, by emailing RSP@water.ca.gov.

RSP staff will host two public meetings to present and receive comments about these guidelines:

1. Tribal-Only Meeting: Friday, May 8, 2026, from 2:00 - 3:30 P.M. on Zoom.
2. General Public Meeting: Monday, May 11 2026, from 2:00 - 3:30 P.M. on Zoom. Follow this link to register.

DWR RSP Grant Program (Proposition 13) Final Fall 2025 Award List

Published: June 10, 2026

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is pleased to announce the Final Award List for the Fall 2025 Draft RSP Grant Awards. The RSP Grant Program solicitation period is now a rolling application cycle that was re-opened in 2025 after the advanced pay amendment for concept proposals and has a full application closing date of August 31, November 30, February 28, and May 30 of each year. The solicitation is now closed as DWR is making final decisions on applications to allocate remaining funds. If more funding becomes available and the solicitation period is opened again, an announcement will be made on this website. 

Concept proposals that meet eligibility were reviewed and invited to submit full applications. Concepts that meet eligibility are reviewed monthly and invited for full applications to be submitted.  Full applications are reviewed quarterly and recommendations for awards are made to the Director for review and approval. 
Please submit any questions regarding this final award to RSP@water.ca.gov.