California reservoir secures federal approval

The U.S. Department of the Interior approved the proposed 1.5 million acre-foot Sites Reservoir, clearing a key federal hurdle and allowing Bureau of Reclamation funding. The project aims to store Sacramento River water for use in droughts across large parts of California.

The U.S. Department of the Interior on Friday approved the proposed Sites Reservoir, clearing a major federal step for the project. The reservoir would hold about 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the Sacramento River and deliver supply during droughts to the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, the Bay Area and Southern California. Project leaders say it is intended to capture more rain-fed runoff as California's precipitation shifts from snow to rain. The approval allows the Bureau of Reclamation to contribute funding and ties the project to a federal effort to expand water resources. Project details: - Proposed capacity of about 1.5 million acre-feet and physical dimensions of roughly 4 miles across and 13 miles north-to-south. - Planned to serve an area reported as supplying water to roughly 24 million people and is described as the state's first major reservoir project since 1979. - The Bureau of Reclamation may fund up to one quarter of the project under the federal approval, and the plan is linked to President Trump's executive order 14181. - About $1 billion in funding is expected from California's Proposition 1 bond, with additional funding from local project partners; estimated construction costs rose from $4.5 billion to as much as $6.8 billion. - Project leaders say the next procedural steps include securing state water rights and gaining formal sign-offs from local agencies; construction is planned to begin in late 2026 with operation by the end of 2032. Summary: Federal approval removes a key funding and regulatory obstacle and allows the project to access Bureau of Reclamation support while preserving other funding commitments. The project still requires state water rights and local funding sign-offs before construction can begin, with planners targeting late 2026 for the start of work.