SACRAMENTO, Calif. /CALIFORNIA NEWSWIRE/ — Calif. Governor Gavin Newsom is continuing to prepare the state for the water shortages impacting western states and the upcoming threat of a hotter, drier future. Today, Newsom announced that the state’s Sites Reservoir infrastructure project is advancing forward and has received a nearly $219 million funding increase from the California Water Commission to ensure the project moves forward as quickly as possible. The additional funding is needed as a result of added costs from delays — including inflation and expected construction cost increases.
“We can’t wait to protect our state from water shortages – there are 40 million Californians depending on us. I am pleased to see the Sites Reservoir project move forward with additional funding, and urge the Legislature to continue to make our state’s water future a priority,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
He added, “Each day that we delay these projects costs our state more money. The Legislature has an opportunity to make history by fast-tracking critical water infrastructure that will ensure we are resilient against droughts and can continue delivering necessary water – a basic human right — to all Californians.”
Sites Reservoir is a key component of the Governor’s water strategy and will capture water from the Sacramento River during wet seasons and store it for use during drier seasons – holding up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, enough to supply over 4.5 million homes for a year. The project will help California maintain a resilient water supply in the face of climate change, weather extremes, and water scarcity.
With this new infusion of funding, Sites is eligible for $1.094 billion in Proposition 1 funding. The total project cost is estimated at up to $6.8 billion, of which roughly $780 million will be financed through the federal government.
Governor Newsom previously streamlined the project, allowing the project to swiftly defeat a CEQA legal challenge. More information about the project can be found at build.ca.gov.
Image of the San Luis Reservoir, the largest off-stream reservoir in the U.S. Once completed, the Sites Reservoir will be the second largest. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Water Resources)
Preparing California’s water infrastructure
Over the last few decades, the California climate has warmed, with the effects felt strongly in water resources. The state has already experienced a marked increase in the variability of precipitation, with wild swings from drought to flood. These threats were outlined in a recently released State Water Project Adaptation Strategy which assesses and details over a dozen different state actions to protect the state’s water supply through the State Water Project.
Completing water infrastructure projects quickly is more important than ever. Through Governor Newsom’s streamlining efforts, the administration is working to mitigate future cost increases and prepare California for a new climate reality.
Conveyance infrastructure will also be needed to move that water to where it is needed to take advantage of fast-moving storms. This is why Governor Newsom has also announced a legislative package to fast-track another key water infrastructure project, the Delta Conveyance Project, which will also help offset and recover California’s future climate-driven water losses. The Delta Conveyance Project would expand the state’s ability to improve water supply reliability, while also maintaining environmental and water quality protections. During atmospheric rivers last year, the Delta Conveyance Project could have captured enough water for 9.8 million people’s yearly usage—further enhancing California’s ability to provide water to its 40 million residents, in conjunction with other water infrastructure projects like Sites Reservoir.
Visit https://build.ca.gov
###
This version of news first appeared on CaliforniaNewswire.com
