Sites bill introduced

North State congressmen Doug LaMalfa and John Garamendi have introduced a bill to accelerate the federal review of Sites Reservoir and better position the project for funding under Proposition 1, the voter-approved California water bond designed to make the state’s water systems more resilient.

H.R. 1269 also authorizes the federal government to participate in construction of the project should it be found feasible.

“Sites reservoir is one of the most useful, cost-effective water infrastructure projects California could build,” Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, said Friday in a statement. “The recent feast-or-famine water years should remind us all of the importance of building safe, environmentally friendly long-term storage that can take advantage of wet years and help provide for our water needs during drier periods."

LaMalfa, R-Richvale, said the recent troubles at Oroville Dam are a “testament to the fact that California needs better water infrastructure. Sites Reservoir will provide more storage per dollar invested than any other proposed project in the state. This will help to ensure that we have adequate storage to capture more water during the wet season and allow us to use that water effectively during times of future drought.”

Sites Reservoir, which would be in Colusa and Glenn counties, is an offstream reservoir project that will create 500,000 acre-feet of new water each year.

Bryce Lundberg, chairman of the Northern California Water Association, urged support for the measure.