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Sites Reservoir: Water for Dry Years

Sites Reservoir is a part of the solution.

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 21st Century Water Storage System

Sites Reservoir is a water savings account for dry years. It would capture and store stormwater flows from the Sacramento River—after all other water rights and regulatory requirements are met—and release the water for California communities, farms, and environmental agencies to use when it is desperately needed.

Sites Reservoir complements other major reservoirs like Shasta, Oroville, and Folsom, which function as the backbone to both the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. Sites Reservoir will help optimize water releases from this existing network, greatly increasing the flexibility, reliability and resiliency of statewide water supplies.

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An updated analysis found that Sites Reservoir could have captured more than 1.4 million acre-feet of water in just over a year, meeting about 95% of its full capacity. 

If operational beginning in 2023, Sites could have stored enough water to serve about 3 million people for a year. 

Learn more at the link in our bio.
California’s water future starts here. 💧 Watch this video to find out what local benefits Sites Reservoir will bring to the Sac Valley. 🔗 Learn more at SitesProject.org. Link in bio. #SitesReservoir #WhySites #SitesStartsHere #CaliforniaWater
California’s water future starts here. 💧 Watch this video to learn how Sites Reservoir will create a stronger agricultural economy. 🔗 Learn more at SitesProject.org. Link in bio. #SitesReservoir #WhySites #SitesStartsHere #CaliforniaWater
Sites Reservoir is designed to cooperate with existing water storage infrastructure to provide reliable dry year water supply to California’s communities, farms and the environment. 

👉 Learn more at SitesProject.org

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Support for Sites Reservoir is broad and diverse, revealing a statewide understanding that California needs to take proactive measures to ensure a secure water future.

Participants include local, state, and federal public agencies that represent millions of Californians and thousands of acres of food-producing farmland.

Learn more at SitesProject.org.
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Support for Sites Reservoir is broad and diverse, revealing a statewide understanding that California needs to take proactive measures to ensure a secure water future.  

Participants include local, state, and federal public agencies that represent millions of Californians and thousands of acres of food-producing farmland. 

Learn more at SitesProject.org.Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

The update is provided in the link that is included in the post. SitesProject.org

How about an update???

The update is not a shovel of dirt has been dug. 2014 is when this lies started 😒. Money for the train 🚆

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