Tuesday December 12, 2023
Roseville Today —
In an important move to secure the region’s water future, the Placer County Water Agency Board of Directors recently approved funding and contracts to begin work on RiverArc. This new project is designed with climate change in mind; it aims to both help ensure a reliable water supply in the region and protect the sensitive environment of the Lower American River.
Droughts are expected to become more common and long-lasting due to climate change. Currently, many water purveyors in the California capital region rely on water from the Lower American River. This becomes a problem during drought because as flows diminish and temperatures grow warmer, native fish species such as Chinook salmon and steelhead trout become threatened.
RiverArc will shift some of the demand for drinking water supplies to the Sacramento River, California’s largest river, which is less prone to severe shortages during drought. This will ease pressure on the American River’s environment and create more options to recharge groundwater in the region, another essential supply of water in drought years. For PCWA, this means that the Agency will be able to serve future residents in the western most parts of Placer County from the RiverArc facility.