Friday November 10, 2023
The Gridley Herald —
The Bureau of Reclamation and Sites Project Authority on Nov. 2 released final plans to create new off-stream water storage in the Sacramento Valley. The proposed reservoir — Sites — would be the second largest off-stream reservoir in the nation and would increase Northern California’s water storage capacity by up to 15 percent.
“Investing in Western water infrastructure is a top priority for Reclamation and the Biden Administration as witnessed by the commitment of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “We are proud to support projects that will provide operational flexibility and more reliable water delivery to benefit farms, communities, and the environment. We stand in partnership with the State of California and the JPA with projects like Sites Reservoir.”
“This is a really big step forward for the Sites project and another example of how state and federal agencies are working together to build our water resilience amidst climate change,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “Sites Reservoir promises to help us adjust to intensifying floods and droughts by storing water in big, wet winters like we just had for use during the dry years that we know will return. The environmental review that has just been completed for the project will guide how this project can operate in alignment with existing water and environmental management, as well as other water infrastructure. We have no time to waste to put these climate solutions into place.”