Slim Outlook for Water Storage Project Approval by Water Commission
Over 3 years ago, state voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1, a $7.5 billion bond measure to pay for new water projects, $3 billion of which was intended to be set aside for reservoirs and other water-storage projects. The funding is directed to projects that fulfill the following benefits: ecosystem improvements, water quality improvements, flood control, emergency response and recreation.
Tasked with the obligation to allocate the reserved money, the California Water Commission released its initial technical reviews for 11 water storage projects the funding on February 2, 2018. However, the Water Commission gave a lukewarm response to the 11 applications it received, claiming that none of the 11 projects would deliver as much public benefit as its backers claim and 3 of the projects do not appear to deliver any public benefit at all. The Water Commission did not outright reject any proposals but gave the backers three weeks (until February 23rd) to revise their applications.
The two largest projects are the proposed Sites Reservoir north of Sacramento and the proposed Temperance Flat dam northeast of Fresno, which if constructed would be the two largest water storage projects built in California in 50 years. The initial reviews from the Water Commission drew sharp criticism from the water community and politicians, all of which urge the Water Commission to fund these storage projects.
The deadline for revised applications has passed, and the Water Commission rejected both of the largest projects because neither provides net ecosystem benefits. In the recent weeks, there have been continued protests aimed at the Water Commission from the proponents of these two projects urging for reconsideration.