California Water News Daily Your Source For Water News in California
The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and Department of Water Resources (DWR) have team up with local water agencies to implement critical infrastructure upgrades that will improve water resilience and support environmental health in the Sacramento area. As part of the agreement, the state has committee $55 million in funding to the Sacramento Regional Water Authority to advance 21 projects.
Some of the planned projects include new and improved groundwater wells, upgrades to existing wells, pumps, interties and storage facilities. These upgrades will significantly expand the regional water system, giving water providers improved capacity to move supplies between agencies, recharge groundwater aquifers during wet conditions and use available groundwater supplies more sustainability when needed during dry years.
“It is gratifying for the state to invest in our decades-long vision for enhancing the role of our groundwater aquifer – our natural infrastructure – as a key strategy for adapting the Sacramento region’s water system to the changing climate,” said Michelle Banonis, Manager of Strategic Affairs for the Regional Water Authority. “This investment will allow us to build on proven methods for securing our water supplies while also providing water for the environment during the driest times, long into the future.”
In exchange for funding, regional agencies will allocate 30,000 acre-feet of water in the river in three critical or dry years over an eight-year period once funded infrastructure upgrades are completed and in place. Completed infrastructure upgrades are anticipated within the next two years.
