The Sacramento Region is one step closer to reducing its reliance on Folsom Reservoir. The state of California has recommended the Regional Water Authority receive almost $10 million for projects to improve water supply.
The money would fund 17 projects designed to move water around the region better.
It comes from the almost $700 million package of drought response legislation signed by Governor Jerry Brown in March. That legislation expedited grants from Proposition 84, the bond measure passed by voters in 2006.
John Woodling is with the Regional Water Authority.
"In December and January this past year, we really realized it wasn't going to rain much and we were in a bad way," says Woodling. "We really looked at where we could make the water supply system more resilient with some things that could happen quickly."
The projects include 13 new or upgraded groundwater wells and construction of pump stations to lift water to areas that have higher elevations.
"Most of those are designed so that we can move water around the region better, and also use more groundwater and move it to where we need it because of the situation we saw early in the year with Folsom Reservoir being so low," says Woodling. "So, if we go into that situation next year we're going to be in a lot better shape when we get those projects built."
The Regional Water Authority also wants to be able to pull water from the American and Sacramento Rivers better, especially when they reach extremely low flows.
It's not quite a done deal. The California Department of Water Resources will announce final awards by the end of the month.
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