The State Water Resources Control Board has determined that the Sites Reservoir water rights application is officially complete. That moves the development process to the next step with a 60-day public comment period being opened. The public can provide input regarding the Sites Project Authority (Authority) receiving a new water rights permit for the project. A permit would provide state authority for diverting water within specific guidelines.
“We are excited to move into this next phase of the permitting process, which builds on the momentum we’ve had this past year,” Executive Director of the Authority, Jerry Brown said in a press release. “We welcome the public review of our work, and we are confident in our analysis that the Sites Reservoir Project can safely and reliably serve as a key component of new infrastructure to manage California’s water in light of our changing climate.”
Several factors will be considered during the comment period. Potential impacts on senior water rights holders, the environment, and public trust resources will all be weighed during the process. The State Water Board will issue a water rights permit if the project meets the criteria which includes assurance that unappropriated water is available and will ultimately serve the public interest.
While largely supported by various industries including agriculture, environmentalists are encouraging the public to object to the Sites Reservoir Project. Friends of the River (FOR) has described the project as a “boondoggle.” FOR Executive Director Jann Dorman said the project “is a waste of time, money, and resources.” The group asserts that the expansion of water storage through the project is not worth the impact on grasslands and riparian habitats.
The Authority notes that it has run several scenarios in its analysis of the project and that the Sites Reservoir can benefit the public while simultaneously meeting environmental standards. Alicia Forsythe, Environmental Planning and Permitting Manager of the Authority said that every analysis that was run demonstrated that water would be available for the project. “This year is a great example. In 2023 alone—after multiple atmospheric rivers—roughly 700,000 acre-feet of water could have been stored in Sites Reservoir and saved for later use,” Forsythe explained.
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