So, late last month, the agency planning the reservoir, the Sites Project Authority, issued new plans. As a result, water from Sites is likely to cost more than $700 per acre foot on averageand that cost estimate does not include the additional costs to move water through the Delta, to pay to move water down the California Aqueduct and/or other canals, and the costs of water treatment for municipal and industrial users. Big new Northern California reservoir on track for $2.2 billion federal Now, a major drought gripping the western United States has put the project back in the spotlight. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Gavin Newsom has rallied for the project, and his 2022water strategy outlined a plan to create as much as 4 million acre-feet of new water storage space. Maxwell, CA 95955, P.O. These models, like much of our water infrastructure, were built in the wet years of the 1960s and earlier. The Sites Reservoir would cost an estimated $4.4 billion. These are the questions weve been considering for Sites Reservoir. The board determined that the Sites analysis failed to assess or consider these changes. If we didnt have all of that, this project would not be affordable, he said. During storms it will fill with water, which will be delivered via canals and pipelines. Named for the historic quarry town of Sites, which will be submerged if the project is built, the reservoir would occupy remote hills and creek valleys west of the Sacramento River. And, the water that would have been used on those fields was transferred . The reservoir would be operated to accommodate and address the uncertainties created by a changing climate and improve environmental and water supply system resilience. Photo by Julie A. Hotz. The Sites planning process has involved multiple rounds of environmental impact reports and a few major changes to the design plan. The Maxwell Water Intertie will increase the efficiency and reliability of water management in the western Sacramento Valley by adding to and improving existing water infrastructure to facilitate greater flexibility in water conveyance, which would increase the drought resistance of rural communities and help to support our regions agricultural economy. saidJim Watson, General Manager, Sites Project Authority. This facility would provide multiple benefits to improve aquatic habitat conditions andwithstand dry year conditions. Valerie Pryor, its general manager, said frequent droughts and residential demand have squeezed supplies, making Sites an appealing option. But supporters still havent found enough to pay all the construction costs. Doug Obegi, a water attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said theres simply not enough water left in the Sacramento River most years to operate Sites without causing more harm to critically endangered fish. What's taking reservoir on Sacramento River so long to finish Mixing concrete for the dams could require as much as a million gallons of water per day for four years. In May, the Sites authority is releasing its final report addressing the potential environmental impacts. I do think there is some value to those kinds of projects.. View Google Map. Still, environmentalists have questioned the reservoirs feasibility and operation: Will there be enough water to fill it? Episode 16: The Case for Sites - Ingrained - Calrice Environmental groups oppose the reservoir, fearing it will draw too much water from the Sacramento River and harm imperiled populations of salmon and other fish. Valerie Pryor, its general manager, said frequent droughts and residential demand have squeezed supplies, making Sites an appealing option. info@sitesproject.org, 122 Old Highway 99 West The reservoir's size will shrink from 1.8 million acre feet to 1.5 million acre feet. Still, Sites Reservoir remains almost a decade away: Acquisition of water rights, permitting and environmental review are still in the works. Not only did California voters pass Proposition 13 in 1978, requiring a two-thirds majority to raise most taxes, but in 1986, former President Reagan changed federal law to require states to pay a greater share of the huge costs of building dams to curb federal spending. ; As fire season begins, debate over wildfire retardant heats up; Preparing for a drier future in the Colorado River basin; and more , PRESS RELEASE: State-funded stormwater-capture, recharge project breaks ground in Stanislaus County, DAILY DIGEST, holiday weekend edition: SJV groundwater agencies scrambling to comply with SGMA, leaving some landowners in the lurch; How this year ranks among the all-time biggest rainfall years; Delta communities relieved after Newsom ditches enviro run-around for Delta tunnel; Is seawater desalination right for California? Backers say the reservoir, which would still be Californias seventh largest, nevertheless remains on track. Big new California reservoir on track for $2.2 billion federal loan The project also includes the construction of a new 1,200 acre-foot Terminal Regulating Reservoir to be built adjacent to the Glenn Irrigation systems Main Canal that will help to regulate flows. Biologist Carson Jeffres is on the fence about the project. The dam site sits atop the Great Central Valley fault line, which is less than a mile from the reservoirs proposed location, and produced a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in 1892 and again in 1983. The reservoir would be used to store water during wet years for use during droughts and would be large enough to supply 1.5 million households each for one year. PUBLISHED: November 27, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. | UPDATED: November 27, 2018 at 11:34 a.m. Sacramento ValleySites Reservoirwater storageWater Storage Investment Program. About 160 miles of existing canals will be used to transfer water into and out of the reservoir, with plans to build just 20 miles of new conveyance, according to Brown. Hindsight is always 20/20 and if Sites had been built decades ago the added flexibility it would have created would have been very beneficial for California . So far, 21 agencies have put up $27 million for planning and studies. CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics. About Sites Reservoir - Sites Reservoir And the project could get some of the $1.15 billion included in an infrastructure bill that has passed the U.S. Senate. But in a brief written statement they said before a water right is granted, the board must ensure that instream flows necessary for the protection of water quality, fish and wildlife in the Delta can be met sustainably., At this point we are at the finish line with what we intend to proceed with, Brown said. Named for the historic quarry town of Sites, which will be submerged if the project is built, the reservoir would occupy remote hills and creek valleys west of the Sacramento River. . The reservoirs slow pace of progress doesnt surprise leaders and water supply experts. Shasta, Oroville, Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by damming large rivers. My personal rule of thumb is that for every year of construction you spend about three years in the planning-permitting-engineering stage, he said. If Sites had already been built, . Once built, the reservoirs water will cost about $750 per acre-foot, according to Brown. News - Sites Reservoir An environmental review, which already has gone through multiple rounds of revisions and public comment periods, is still underway and could wrap up this summer. Sites Reservoir is now estimating that it will yield around 260,000 acre feet of water per year on average, with more water in drier years and less in wet years. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, one of many potential investors, might get as much as 20% of the reservoirs water. And what impacts will doing so have on fish and other wildlife in the Sacramento River? "The probability of it happening at this. In dry years, that goes up to as much as 385,000 acre feet per year. This money is allocated under the assumption that operating the reservoir will provide recreation opportunities, ecosystem and water quality improvements and enhanced flood control for downstream communities. Exchanges of water from Funks Reservoir to the GCID system will occur through the new pipeline by gravity flow in the reverse direction. At 13,200 acres, Sites Reservoir (formally called the Sites Offstream Storage Reservoir Project) would be one of the largest reservoirs in California and would include new water diversions from the Sacramento River that could also adversely impact the Trinity River. The reservoir must provide public benefits in order to receive Prop 1 funding. Sites Reservoir Water Right application moves forward June 2, 2023 The state's proposed first major water storage site to be developed in decades took another step to becoming reality on [] Despite recent rain, Colusa County has been upended by devastating drought conditions April 18, 2023 Should We Legislate or Ban Water Futures? Sites Reservoir The Sites Reservoir is a proposed $5.2-billion offstream reservoir project west of Colusa in the Sacramento Valley of northern California, to be built by the California Department of Water Resources. SACRAMENTO, Calif. A long-delayed plan to build a giant reservoir in Northern California to help withstand the U.S. West's notorious droughts got a huge financial boost on Thursday when the. Last century, California built dozens of large dams, creating the elaborate reservoir system that supplies the bulk of the states drinking and irrigation water. Another water district, the Zone 7 Water Agency that serves 270,000 people in the East Bay, would receive about 10,000 acre-feet annually from Sites, increasing its supply about 20%. But that means that in most future droughts, there will not be a lot of water in storageand even less once biologically credible bypass flows and environmental protections are required. Reservoirs can induce seismicity, or earthquakes, as they had discovered in Oroville in the 1970s, or with smaller. Congressman Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, praised the loan, stating that Sites Reservoir is a project that Ive been fighting to see completed since Ive been in Congress. In 2014 and '15, we actually fallowed a lot of rice in Northern California. "The probability of it happening at this. As an off-stream reservoir, Sites does not dam a major stream or river and instead creates new environmental benefits, while relieving pressure on Lake Shasta, Folsom Lake, and other Northern California reservoirs. This is the sort of pendular weather pattern that Sites is being designed to take advantage of, by grabbing water when its abundant. The Sites Project Authority resubmitted a more thorough analysis in January and is now waiting for the board to issue a water right that will allow the reservoir to divert water. What's taking so long to build a California reservoir? - CalMatters Other big tasks include buying land from local owners, ripping out a country road, demolishing structures, removing septic systems, clearing trees, scouring out mountains of topsoil and distributing it to local farms, and relocating two private cemeteries. But some experts say the delays arent surprising, given the complexities and environmental hazards that come with building new water projects. Sites planners, who are mostly political and farm leaders in the Sacramento Valley, asked the Brown administration for $1.6 billion from Proposition 1, a bond passed in 2014 by voters. This whole valley would be filled with water. About 15 families live in and near the town of Sites, so building the reservoir will require their relocation. California taxpayers have pledged about $836 million to the project from a bond voters approved in 2014. What prices per Megawatt-hour?? The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is considering letting California's largest water users build a 1.5 million acre foot, or 20 sq mi, reservoir that would divert much more water from the Sacramento River. Newsletters and E-newsletters. The Sites Reservoir planned in a remote corner of the western Sacramento Valley for at least 40 years has been gaining steam and support since 2014, when voters approved Prop. But the cost, plus shifting political priorities, stopped it from happening. The details of the operation will determine how this plays out., Carson Jeffres, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is considering letting Californias largest water users build a 1.5 million acre foot, or 20 sq mi, reservoir that would divert much more water from the Sacramento River. We also made some operational changes to the project. No One Listened. As if Mother Nature herself was listening, we saw a bald eagle and a turkey vulture soar in circles above us (dont worry, we got a video)! by Alastair Bland February 27, 2023 Stone Corral Creek, shown here on on Feb. 14, 2023, will be about 200 feet underwater when the Sites Reservoir is built in the western Sacramento Valley. Jerry Brown (not the former governor of the same name) of the Sites Project Authority, which represents local water districts pursuing the project, said it takes many years to develop and plan projects of this scale. The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. They also are seeking at least $1 billion in other federal loans, and $1.2 billion from water agencies that would buy the water. The reservoir is one of seven water storage projects set to receive state funding. California OKs funds for Sites Reservoir, other water projects | The A 2017 environmental review was deemed incomplete, leading to a revised draft in 2021. Amid drought, California advances major new reservoir project - Los If Sites had already been built, nearly 1 million acre feet of additional water would have been available to support the environment, farms and citiesin 2021. according to water agencies supporting the project. The details of the operation will determine how this plays out.. Introducing: Your new, expanded Chatfield Reservoir Our last stop was to the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge which protects threatened and endangered species in riparian habitat. Another $19 million is due by Oct. 1. The changes we made were substantial enough to require a review and recirculation of our environmental analysis and Environmental Impact Report, which we anticipate being released next year. An environmental review, which already has gone through multiple rounds of revisions and public comment periods, is still underway and could wrap up this summer. Leaders in both parties are predicting they can flip seats in the liberal state in next years election. In less than two weeks of storms last month, Sites could have captured 120,000 acre-feet of water, enough to serve about 1.3 million Californians for a year, according to water agencies supporting the project. The Trillion-Gallon Question: What if California's Dams Fail? Portal Login. The largest of Californias reservoirs are operated by the state and federal governments, although neither has built a new one since the 1979 New Melones Lake near Sonora, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Yosemite National Park. The construction of Sites Reservoir is just a few years away with the right-sizing and progress weve made in the past year. But the reservoir also plays an important role in wildlife habitat, recreation, municipal water supply and irrigation water for farms. Although Sites is among the most high-profile water projects in the state, they have gone largely unnoticed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The project would be used to store water during wet years for use during droughts. Off-channel reservoirs can cause less environmental harm because they dont block major fish migration routes. To hear an update on the project, we encourage you to listen to a recent podcast on how Sites Reservoir would benefit California in a dry year like 2022. We stopped at the proposed location of the reservoirs dam, which also happens to be a significant and non-mitigatable habitat of federally protected golden eagles. The reservoir would be large enough to supply water for 1.5 million households each for one year. Yet, in their worded proposals they always declare, theyll only take water during wet years from the San Joaquin Sacramento Delta, yet apparently the same doesnt apply to the Sacramento River. Disconnect much? Prior to that, he was the editor of the Ukiah Daily Journal in Ukiah, from 1990 to 1994, having been transferred from The Daily Democrat where he spent three years as first a reporter covering Woodland city government and education, and later as the associate editor. For more information, see Sites Project Authority. On the morning of Feb. 7, 2017, two electricians were working on a warning siren near the spillway of Oroville Dam, 60 miles north of Sacramento . An hour north of Sacramento, in a ghost town tucked into a remote mountain valley, California is poised to build a massive new reservoir - a water project of a size that hasn't been undertaken. Informational Materials - Sites Reservoir The Sites Reservoir project is a proposed 1.8 million acre-foot off-stream reservoir located in Glenn and Colusa counties which will use existing infrastructure to divert high winter flows from the Sacramento River. The idea for Sites has been around since the 1950s. Pryor, at the Zone 7 Water Agency, said she understands the need for a cautiously paced planning stage for a mega-project like Sites. These refinements resulted in a project cost savings of roughly $2 billion dollars. The longer you dont build, the more expensive it gets, said Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle, whose rural Northern California district includes farmers. For years, state lawmakers, farm representatives and city water suppliers have bemoaned that the reservoir hasnt been built yet, and their criticism has escalated during rainy periods. As we are staring at one of the most erratic water years in memory, with alternating wet and dry months, we would be well served this year in California if we had water in Sites Reservoiran off-stream reservoir on the west-side of the Sacramento Valley.
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