Established in 2009 by the Delta Reform Act, the mission of the Delta Stewardship Council, through a seven-member board, is to further the state's coequal goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem. The coequal goals are to be achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource, and agricultural values of the Delta. The Council is required to develop and periodically update a legally enforceable Delta Plan to further the coequal goals and guide state and local agency activities related to the Delta. Under state law agencies are required to coordinate their actions pursuant to the Delta Plan with the Council and the other relevant agencies. The Council is informed by scientific input from the Delta Science Program and the Delta Independent Science Board. The mission of the Delta Science Program is to provide the best possible unbiased scientific information to inform water and environmental decisionmaking in the Delta.

The Delta Stewardship Council is the successor to the California Bay-Delta Authority and CALFED Bay-Delta Program.