Sites Reservoir: Water for Dry Years
Now more than ever, California needs innovative solutions to ensure we have a sustainable water supply. Our climate has changed, and we need more storage as the West gets drier and hotter to ensure we have enough water to meet our needs.
Sites Reservoir is a unique, multi-benefit water storage project that will capture and store water from major storms, so water is available to California’s communities, farms, and environment during dry periods.
The water that Californians use for drinking, recreating and protecting the environment moves through a system that is arguably the most complex in the world.
Sites Reservoir Benefits
- Reliable dry-year water supply for California’s communities, farms and environment
- Dedicated environmental water for native fish, migratory birds, and their habitats
- Adaptable to climate change
- Contribution to California’s renewable energy goals
- Flood management
- Recreational opportunities
- Job creation, including a large skilled workforce during construction
Sites Reservoir Fast Facts
Creates additional 1.5 million acre-foot off-stream storage for drier periods
Increases Sacramento Valley water storage capacity
Creates reliable supplies for environmental, agricultural, and municipal uses
30 participating agencies representing communities across California
A Part of the Sacramento Valley
Sites Reservoir would be located on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, near Maxwell, California – a rural farming town in Colusa County, approximately 65 miles northwest of Sacramento. The Sacramento Valley is known for its farming community, rich agricultural benefits, and natural beauty. The region’s acres of grassland surrounded by rolling foothills make it an ideal location for off-stream water storage. The proposal is widely supported by local community leaders, residents, as well as state water managers and water agencies from the Bay Area to Southern California.
A Bird’s-Eye View of California’s Water Future
Join JP Robinette, Engineering and Construction Manager for the Sites Project Authority, for a drone tour of the future Sites Reservoir site. Discover how the project leverages existing water infrastructure to capture water from the Sacramento River and deliver it to our participants. More than just a reservoir, Sites is a climate-resilient investment in California’s future.
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As climate change continues, California’s water supply faces growing risks. That’s why Sites Reservoir is designed to capture water during heavy storms and save it for dry years, when it’s needed most by farms🌾, families🏡, fish🐟, and fowl 🦆.
#BuildSitesNow
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As climate change continues, California’s water supply faces growing risks. That’s why Sites Reservoir is designed to capture water during heavy storms and save it for dry years, when it’s needed most by farms🌾, families🏡, fish🐟, and fowl 🦆.
#BuildSitesNow
Did you know Sites Reservoir is 100% publicly funded by local, state, and federal dollars? The communities served by the agencies investing in the project will directly benefit.
Learn more at SitesProject.org.
Sites Reservoir will be located on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, near the rural farming town of Maxwell, CA. For years, the Sites Project Authority has worked with the local community to design a project that reflects the best interests of the region and California`s water future.
Learn more at SitesProject.org.
Sites is specifically designed to capture water during wet periods and store it for use during dry years. It’s a flexible storage solution that can release reserves based on our water needs.
Learn more at SitesProject.org.
Sites Reservoir has broad, bipartisan support that spans the entire state. As the project nears construction, we’re advancing a rigorous value planning effort to ensure the final design meets the needs of our participants and benefits our communities, farms, and environment for decades to come. It’s time to seize the moment and #BuildSitesNow.
Congratulations to Fritz Durst, our Authority Board Chair, on receiving the 2026 Will S. Green Award! This award recognizes individuals who have devoted themselves to promotion and advancement of irrigation and regional sustainability in the Sacramento Valley. Thank you for all you do for our organization and region. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pzMYoT_Q54
An acre-foot is a common measurement to describe how big reservoirs are—but what is an acre-foot and why is it called that? One acre-foot is enough water to flood an entire acre one foot deep. That’s about the size of a football field!💧🏈
Learn more at SitesProject.org.
The Sites Reservoir project site is a naturally bowl-shaped landscape, making it the perfect location for a reservoir. By using existing local infrastructure, the project also minimizes its impact on the surrounding environment.
#BuildSitesNow
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As climate change continues, California’s water supply faces growing risks. That’s why Sites Reservoir is designed to capture water during heavy storms and save it for dry years, when it’s needed most by farms🌾, families🏡, fish🐟, and fowl 🦆.
#BuildSitesNow
15 CommentsComment on Facebook
Sites Reservoir has been in the planning stages for at least 30-40 years...I seen drawings of that project decades ago.
This should have done in the 90s to add water for population increase can you tell me how much more water storage we have since 1980
Yes build it dam it