A long-advocated plan to build the Sites Reservoir north of Sacramento could become reality starting in summer 2027. The State Water Resources Control Board approved the $6-billion project’s final water right permit, putting California on track to build its largest new reservoir in more than 50 years. 

Located in Glenn and Colusa counties, Sites Reservoir is designed to capture water from the Sacramento River during eligible high-flow periods and store it for use during prolonged dry conditions. The project would add 1.5 million acre-feet of water storage capacity, enough to supply more than 4.5 million homes for one year, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.

“Our water system was built for a climate that no longer exists,” said California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot. “To adapt, we need to capture water during huge storms and wet winters to get us through worsening droughts — and that’s exactly what Sites Reservoir will do.”

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