California Water Management May Be Returning to Sanity

Sites map California Water Management May Be Returning to Sanity

(click for larger image)

From the December 11 San Jose Mercury-News:

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday reaffirmed his support for building Sites Reservoir, a proposed $4.5 billion project that would be the largest new reservoir constructed in California in 50 years, as a way for cities and farms to better prepare for droughts made worse by the warming climate.

In November, in a stunning setback for efforts to expand water storage in Northern California, the Contra Costa Water District cancelled a $1.5 billion plan to enlarge Los Vaqueros Reservoir near Brentwood.

Los Vaqueros was promised $477 million in state funding under Proposition 1, a water bond approved by voters in 2014. The Contra Costa Water District spent $24 million on planning, studies, engineering and other costs. It notified the California Water Commission in November that it will not need the remaining $453 million, said Jennifer Allen, a spokeswoman for the Contra Costa Water District.

The Sites project similarly received a commitment for $875 million in Proposition 1 money from the California Water Commission.

In 2018 we castigated California’s government and the California Water Commission for not allocating any funds to Sites.  We also pointed out the incredibly obtuse language in Proposition 1, saying the water itself had no value in the project evaluation process.  We have no idea what happened, but the glimmer of sanity is a welcome change. 

Here’s the official promotional video.

Share if you feel like it