Sites Reservoir receives $80 million in federal funding

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Sites Reservoir recently received $80 million from Congress as part of a short-term government funding bill that was signed into law last week, according to a news release.

Sites Reservoir will increase California’s existing water supply by providing 1.5 million acre-feet of additional storage capacity during times of drought to benefit the environment, agriculture and communities.

“Flexible water storage is needed now more than ever,” Jeff Davis, chairman of the Sites Reservoir Committee, said via the release. “Sites has a unique collaboration between local, state and federal partners for an affordable, permittable and buildable water storage project for California.”

The Secretary of the

Interior found that Sites Reservoir is technically and financially feasible and should be prioritized for federal investment. Sites Reservoir is an offstream facility proposed north of the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta that does not dam a major river system and would not block fish migration or spawning. It captures storm water flows from the Sacramento River for release primarily in dry and critical years.

“The $80 million will be directly applied to paying the federal share of planning and engineering costs of Sites Reservoir which ensures a dedicated portion of the Project benefits to the federal government’s interests in meeting the future water needs of the environment, farms and cities across California,” Fritz Durst, chairman of the Sites Project Authority, said via the release.