United Opposition Against Sites Reservoir
Town sign at the proposed Sites Reservoir location near Maxwell, CA. Credit: Kelly Grow, CA Dept. of Water Resources.
Friends of the River and the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), along with a coalition of tribes and environmental organizations including the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, AquAlliance, California Water Impact Network, Cal Wild, Fly Fishers of Davis, Friends of the Swainson’s Hawk, Northern California Council of Fly Fishers International, Restore the Delta, Save California Salmon, Sierra Club California, and Water Climate Trust, submitted a protest against the water rights application of the Sites Project Authority for the proposed Sites Reservoir. This protest is part of a legally required process to ensure public concerns are addressed when granting water rights in California.
Sites Reservoir is not a 21st century water solution. It will add little water to California’s supply. And as proposed, it will not provide net environmental benefits. Our coalition elaborated on these claims, in depth, in our protest.
The real and potential harms that will be caused by Sites Reservoir include (non-exhaustive):
Impacts to water quality, such as increased levels of metals and heavy metals, increased levels of aqueous mercury (which climbs the food chain), formation of harmful algal blooms both in the reservoir area and the Bay-Delta due to flow reduction.
Extensive greenhouse gas emissions.
Fragmented and destroyed wildlife habitat in the project area, with impacts to the Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Burrowing Owl, Giant Gartner Snake, Foothill Yellow-legged Frog, Mountain Lions, American Badgers, Monarch Butterflies, native bees, native bats, and many other species.
Further peril for listed anadromous fish, including Spring-run Chinook Salmon, Winter-run Chinook Salmon, and Green Sturgeon.
Adverse effects on wetlands and riparian habitat downstream of the project along the Sacramento River and Bay-Delta, with impacts to a plethora of species including the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Swainson’s Hawk, Bank Swallow, and Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle.
Adverse impacts on the nearly-extinct Delta Smelt.
Poor management of the Public Trust, and continued discriminatory practices in California water management, which has historically and methodically excluded tribes and disadvantaged communities.
Increased water prices, especially in times of shortage.
All this with a nearly $5 billion price tag. Ouch.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Sites Reservoir is a boondoggle. Friends of the River will continue to build opposition for this wasteful project, and advocate for commonsense water solutions in California – for our people, and for our rivers. We could always use your help.
