As we contend with climate change and extreme weather, Valley Water remains committed to providing Santa Clara County with a reliable supply of safe, clean water today and for future generations.
Valley Water outlines its strategy for sustainably achieving this goal in the Water Supply Master Plan. One of the critical projects listed in the plan is the Delta Conveyance Project, the State of California’s proposed plan to improve the infrastructure that carries water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
On Dec. 8, 2023, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) reached a significant milestone by releasing the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Valley Water will review the final EIR and use it as one of many pieces of information to help inform our decision-making process.
“Amid the intensified storms and prolonged droughts of climate change, water supply reliability is more critical than ever,” Valley Water Board Chair John L. Varela said. “We are pleased the final EIR has been completed. This environmental document is important for our agency to continue evaluating the Delta Conveyance Project, which provides low-cost imported supplies and keeps water affordable for disadvantaged communities.”
On April 12, 2022, the Valley Water Board of Directors voted to continue our agency’s support of the Delta Conveyance Project by providing about $6.9 million for our remaining share of the preliminary environmental review, planning, and design costs. However, additional funding commitments will be needed to advance the Delta Conveyance Project through the design and construction phases.
Valley Water’s Board of Directors will decide whether to participate in the project after the environmental review, preliminary planning and permitting process is complete. Valley Water also is anticipating an update on the project’s cost estimate and benefit analysis. At that point, the Board of Directors will have more information and be in a better position to decide whether to participate in the project.
Currently, Santa Clara County relies on water imported through the Delta for about 40% of its water supply. The Delta water system is outdated and at risk of failing due to events such as rising sea levels, earthquakes and levee failures. The Delta Conveyance Project aims to modernize this system and protect California’s water supply from these risks. The Delta Conveyance Project would improve the ability to capture, move, and store water when high flows are available while meeting protections for fisheries and water quality. The conveyance of high flows will become increasingly important as climate change brings more rain instead of snow in the winter months and extreme weather conditions become more common.
The Delta Conveyance Project would feature two intake structures on the Sacramento River near the City of Sacramento, where water would be diverted through state-of-the-art fish screens to a single tunnel that would carry the water underneath the eastern side of the Delta to pumps in the south.
These efforts are anticipated to bolster our drought resilience and better prepare us for future droughts. A reliable supply of safe, clean water is crucial for public health, the economy and the environment.
To read more about the Delta Conveyance Project, please visit the California Department of Water Resources website at water.ca.gov/Programs/State-Water-Project/Delta-Conveyance.
Valley Water News 