The State Water Resources Control Board has released a draft water right decision and a related permit for public comment concerning a proposed reservoir project about 65 miles northwest of Sacramento.
The project, led by the Sites Project Authority, would involve constructing a reservoir with a storage capacity of 1.5 million acre feet. The facility is intended to store and divert water from the Sacramento River for uses such as agriculture, municipal supply, and environmental purposes. The proposed site is located about 17 miles west of the river in Glenn and Colusa counties, near Maxwell.
The authority submitted its application for a water right permit in May 2022. After revisions and a formal protest period involving interested parties, the State Water Board referred the matter in November 2023 to its Administrative Hearings Office. This office, established in 2019, conducts water rights proceedings and prepares draft decisions for the board.
The draft decision reflects the evidence and legal arguments presented, along with deliberations by board members over the past two years. It outlines proposed conditions intended to address competing needs such as protecting senior water rights, maintaining water quality, and supporting fish populations in the Sacramento River and the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta.
Key proposed conditions include:
- A limit of 986,000 acre feet on annual water diversions
- Requirements to align the project with ongoing Bay Delta watershed planning
- Operational criteria at diversion points to protect fisheries
The project would rely on existing infrastructure to divert water from the Sacramento River near Red Bluff and Hamilton City. Water would be transported to and from the reservoir through a combination of new and existing facilities, then released back into the river system via canals and a pipeline.
Planned infrastructure includes two main dams, seven saddle dams, two saddle dikes, pumping facilities, pipelines, road construction and improvements, and two recreation areas. These elements would be located in Glenn and Colusa counties.
The public comment period on the draft decision is open for 60 days and will close on May 22. After reviewing comments, the hearings office may revise the draft before submitting it to board members. A second public comment period will follow before a final decision is considered.
Separately, the Sites Project Authority has applied for a water quality certification for the project, which is being reviewed through a different process.
