From the Department of Water Resources:
There is no denying the State Water Project (SWP) is one of California’s most important water supply sources, providing clean, reliable and affordable water for 27 million people across the state and 750,000 acres of farmland. There is also no denying this vital water supply is at risk due to climate change, sea level rise and earthquakes.
To address these challenges and more, the Department of Water Resources is pursuing the Delta Conveyance Project.
Modernizing the SWP by creating new water conveyance infrastructure in the Delta will allow us to safely capture, move and store water from the big, but infrequent storm events that have become our new climate reality.
Importantly, the Delta Conveyance Project will provide the flexibility to help manage fishery and water quality conflicts in the South Delta that currently inhibit the ability to take advantage of these big storms.
Adding an additional place to capture fresh water will also minimize the threat of an earthquake-induced levee failure causing saltwater contamination of the SWP.
The water supply benefits of the project are more than theoretical. Four years of data show the Delta Conveyance Project provides water supply benefits regardless of the water year type by adding system flexibility to improve water management and adapt to changing weather patterns and sea level rise.
California’s water infrastructure was not built for the intense boom-and-bust weather patterns we now regularly experience due to climate change. By building the Delta Conveyance Project we can recover future water losses, and help maintain reliable, safe water supplies for generations.
ICYMI: Securing Statewide Water Supplies Part 1: California’s Water Future is in Jeopardy
Resources & Additional Information
- Fast Facts
- Fact Sheet: The Delta Conveyance Project in Practice
- Graphic: Missed Opportunities
- Factsheet: Adapting to Climate Change: Catching and Moving Water from Big Storms
- Digital Article: How The Delta Conveyance Project Would Make California’s Water Supply More Resilient Against Earthquakes
- Digital Article: How Modernizing Infrastructure Can Help to Capture More Storm Flow
- Digital Article: How Will the Delta Conveyance Project Help Adapt to Climate Change?
- Quick Question Video Episode 5: How would a tunnel help protect water supply in an earthquake?
- Video: Meeting California’s New Climate Realities with the Delta Conveyance Project
Catch up on all the Delta Conveyance Project news at the Notebook’s Delta Conveyance Project news page.
