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San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) is investing in the Sites Reservoir and Delta Conveyance Project, critical projects that provide a buffer against severe drought like the one currently plaguing California.
The Agency’s Board of Directors recently increased its contribution to the Delta Conveyance Project by $4.2 million for environmental and planning costs. SGPWA also invests in the Sites Reservoir and has supported the project since 2016.
“The region continues to grow into our projected water demands. It is imperative that we strategically approach the state’s water supply challenges with solutions that will work. Without these crucial projects, it will be hard to protect our sixty-year investment in the State Water Project and our state will face a bleak water future,” General Manager Lance Eckhart said.
The projects would capture water that would otherwise be lost, add storage capacity and allow water to reach areas in need during shortages. They would improve the reliability of the State Water Project (SWP) by addressing extended drought and aging infrastructure, as well as protecting the delivery systems from sea level rise and earthquakes.
SGPWA, a State Water Contractor, utilizes SWP supplies to import water from Northern California to augment local groundwater sources. The region has been importing water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta since 2003.
If the Delta Conveyance Project had been operating during heavy storms in 2021, enough water could have been captured to supply nearly 850,000 households for a year. The project would modernize the aging SWP system in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the heart of California’s water distribution system.
The Sites Reservoir Project in the Sacramento Valley would capture new water from storms and flows from the Sacramento River before it is lost to the Pacific Ocean and release it in dry years.
In addition to statewide projects, SGPWA collaborates on regional water reliability efforts. SGPWA and local retail water agency partners are working collaboratively to address drought, position the region for long-term sustainability and educate the public about conservation.
SGPWA also participates in water transfers and builds local system infrastructure.
