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Sites Reservoir Aims to Reshape California’s Water Landscape

Colusa County, California, could soon be home to the largest new reservoir in the state in 50 years. In accordance with the Bureau of Reclamation’s recommendation, Congress greenlit the allocation of $205.6 million in federal funding for the Sites Reservoir Project under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act).

3 New California Agreements Announced to Save Colorado River Water; Billions Adding Up

The federal government announced three new conservation agreements to bolster water storage in Lake Mead and Lake Powell on Tuesday. The new agreements total about 400,000 acre-feet of water savings — more than twice the amount of Colorado River water used by Las Vegas over the past year.

5 Southern Nevada Water Issues To Watch In 2024

It was just 18 months ago when the commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation warned that the Colorado Water River system was in danger of collapse unless wholesale water use reductions were enacted — cutbacks much bigger than the system has ever seen.

Officials Commit to Deals to Conserve Colorado River Water

California water districts and Bureau of Reclamation officials today commemorated a series of 21 water conservation agreements that will save 1.6 million acre feet of Colorado River water through 2026.

Reclamation Pumps $295M Into California Water Savings

The Biden administration signed agreements with California water agencies Wednesday to conserve a significant share of water through 2025, part of a larger effort to stave off potential disaster in the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin.

The deals, including some expected to be signed as soon as next week, will save 643,000 acre-feet of water — nearly 210 billion gallons — in Lake Mead, the Bureau of Reclamation said.

Sites Reservoir Project Finally Gets Green Light, Construction Expected to Begin in 2024

Located just over an hour north of Sacramento in Glenn and Colusa counties lies 14,000 acres of grassland, streams and the main canal of the two counties’ shared irrigation district.

It’s the site of the planned Sites Reservoir, which has long been eyed as a possible place to store excess surface water from across California. The project was first proposed in the 1950s, but failed — and was re-proposed several times since then. Now, after roughly 70 years and several iterations, the off-river storage basin west of the Sacramento Valley is being streamlined and moving forward.

Bureau of Reclamation Invests in Reuse, Desal Projects

The Bureau of Reclamation recently announced the selection of 31 planning projects to receive more than $28 million in appropriated funding to support potential new water reuse and desalination projects.

The 31 projects are in California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. The projects also bring a cost-share contribution of $64.7 million, bringing the total investment of $93.7 million.

Project Plans for the Sites Reservoir in Northern California Finalized

The future of California water storage reached a major milestone Thursday with the finalization for plans of the Sites Reservoir in Northern California. The reservoir would be the second largest off-stream reservoir in the nation and would increase Northern California’s water storage capacity by up to 15%, according to a press release from the Bureau of Reclamation. It will deliver water to beneficiaries primarily during dry periods or drought. The project area is about an hour north of Sacramento, situated between the Sacramento Valley to the east and the mountainous portion of the Coast Range on the west. It’s currently being used for livestock and cattle grazing.

First Major Water Storage Project in Over a Decade Moving Forward

The recent approval of the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project marks a significant improvement to California’s water storage capacity. This major project, greenlit as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, represents the first substantial water storage approval in California since 2011. The Department of the Interior, in collaboration with the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, has granted the nod to this crucial initiative, signaling a new era for water storage in the state.

What the Fed’s New Proposal for Management of Colorado River Reservoirs Means

Last week, the Bureau of Reclamation released an updated proposal for the near-term management of Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Its revised draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) includes a proposal crafted by the Lower Colorado River Basin states — Arizona, California and Nevada — that commits to conserving 3 million acre-feet of water through the end of 2026.