The Sites Reservoir project in California has advanced toward construction, with the final environmental permit scheduled to go before the state's Water Board on November 4, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced during Climate Week in New York.
The Sites Project Authority moved the project forward after determining that a revised water right permit from the State Water Resources Control Board can support a viable reservoir. The project is a key component of the governor's water infrastructure strategy designed to address California's changing climate.
"California is moving with urgency to build the water infrastructure our changing climate demands. Sites Reservoir will help us capture more water when storms bring it, store it for when communities, farms, and the environment need it most, and strengthen our resilience to drought, floods, and a changing climate," Newsom said.
Once constructed, the reservoir will hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, enough to supply over 4.5 million homes for a year. The project will capture water from the Sacramento River during wet seasons and store it for use during drier seasons.
The reservoir will reduce potential flood damage by capturing and storing flood flows, provide new recreational opportunities for an estimated 187,000 annual visitors, dispatch water to wildlife refuges including the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and deliver up to 200,000 acre-feet of captured water during declared droughts.
Earlier this year, Newsom announced the state would provide an additional nearly $269 million for the project. The Sites Project is now eligible for a total of $1.363 billion in Water Storage Investment Program funding from state propositions.
California is expected to lose 10 percent of its water supply due to hotter and drier conditions by 2040, according to state projections. The State Water Project's reliability could be reduced by as much as 23 percent, prompting the state to pursue infrastructure modernization.