An enormous and much-delayed water storage project west of Williams has received final approval from state regulators. Sites Reservoir could hold up to 1.5 Million Acre-Feet of off-stream storage, with nearly a Million Acre-Feet per year being diverted by canals, pumps and pipelines 17 Miles from the Sacramento River. In January the Bureau of Reclamation issued their “Record of Decision”, which certifies that the project meets all aspects of the National Environmental Policy Act. The “Water Right Order” from the State Water Resources Control Board was approved Wednesday after two rounds of public comment. Some environmental groups and tribes insist the project will divert too much water from the Sacramento River and harm Salmon and other wildlife. Years of delays have increased construction costs to somewhere between 7 and 9 Billion Dollars. It’s the state’s largest water project in more than 50 years.
-Steve Gibson