Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • Environment
  • State Government
  •  

Sites Reservoir Supporters Want $1.6 Billion From Water Bond

  •  Amy Quinton 
Monday, August 14, 2017 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Photo / Curtis Jerome Haynes

If built, Sites Reservoir would flood this 14,000 acre landscape near Maxwell, CA.

Photo / Curtis Jerome Haynes

This week is the application deadline for projects requesting funding from the $7.5 billion Proposition 1 water bond that California voters approved in 2014.
 
Supporters of Sites Reservoir, which would be located an hour northwest of Sacramento, say they are asking for $1.6 billion from the bond. That's more than half of the money in the bond that is set aside for water storage projects in California.
 
At a capacity of 1.8 million acre-feet, it would be the largest reservoir built in California since 1979. An acre foot is about enough water for an average California household for a year.
 
More than two dozen water agencies have signed on to purchase water and build the $4.7 billion reservoir. Fritz Durst, vice-chair of the Sites Reservoir Joint Powers Authority, says the reservoir would be able to capture high flows in the Sacramento River to help provide more water in dry years. 
 

"This year, if Sites would have been dedicated last fall and empty, it would be full right now, so that’s 1.8 million acre-feet,” says Durst.

Durst says if the state invests in the project, it could provide water for purposes other than agriculture. 
 
“Some of the water will stay north of the Delta for use for agriculture. But the other big improvement will be for the ecosystem," he says.
 
He says the state could provide water to wildlife refuges or to provide cold water for salmon. 
 
Sites Reservoir will have to compete with other storage projects applying for funding. The California Water Commission will make the final decision next year.

Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    Related Stories

  • Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

    Congressman Supports Sites Project In Colusa County To Help Folsom Lake

    Thursday, November 12, 2015
    Water levels at Folsom Lake are 15 percent of capacity and about 30 percent of average for this time of year. Congressman Ami Bera toured the area Thursday.
  • Ben Adler / Capital Public Radio

    Storage, Tunnels Clog Water Bond Talks As Deadline Nears

    Monday, August 11, 2014
    With time running out for Gov. Jerry Brown and California lawmakers to negotiate a replacement to the $11 billion water bond on the November ballot, two contentious issues have emerged as sticking points.

 water resourcesWater SupplySites ReservoirCalifornia waterdams

Amy Quinton

Former Environment Reporter

Amy came to Sacramento from New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) where she was Environment Reporter. Amy has also reported for NPR member stations WFAE in Charlotte, WAMU in Washington D.C. and American Public Media's "Marketplace."  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Environment Stories

Kristin Lam / CapRadio

Disaster recovery center connects Sacramento-area winter storm victims to help

January 26, 2023

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Sierra Nevada forests have seen ‘unprecedented’ level of high-severity wildfires, study finds

January 27, 2023

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Tyre Nichols loved skateboarding. That's how his friends say they'll remember him

North Davis store becomes first Peet's Coffee in the country to form a union

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Tyre Nichols loved skateboarding. That's how his friends say they'll remember him

North Davis store becomes first Peet's Coffee in the country to form a union

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.