California Construction News staff writer
Gov. Gavin Newsom says California is pressing ahead with one of its largest planned water storage projects, announcing nearly $219 million in new state funding for the Sites Reservoir to keep the project on track despite inflation and rising construction costs.
The California Water Commission approved the funding increase this week, bringing total state support through Proposition 1 to more than $1 billion. The overall project is expected to cost as much as $6.8 billion, with about $780 million covered by the federal government.
Sites Reservoir, to be built northwest of Sacramento, is designed to capture and store up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the Sacramento River during wet seasons for use during dry periods. Once completed, it would be the state’s second-largest off-stream reservoir, with enough capacity to supply more than 4.5 million homes for a year.
“We can’t wait to protect our state from water shortages – there are 40 million Californians depending on us,” Newsom said in a statement. “Each day that we delay these projects costs our state more money. The Legislature has an opportunity to make history by fast-tracking critical water infrastructure that will ensure we are resilient against droughts and can continue delivering necessary water – a basic human right — to all Californians.”
Newsom has made water infrastructure a cornerstone of his climate adaptation strategy, citing the state’s increasing swings between drought and flood. He previously streamlined the Sites project, helping it overcome a legal challenge under the California Environmental Quality Act.
The governor is also urging lawmakers to advance the Delta Conveyance Project, another major piece of water infrastructure aimed at improving reliability of supplies during extreme weather events. State officials estimate the project could have captured enough stormwater during last year’s atmospheric rivers to supply 9.8 million people for a year.
With both projects moving forward, the Newsom administration says California will be better positioned to handle climate-driven water scarcity in the decades ahead.
