Amid drought, California advances big new reservoir project
ABC News
What could be California's first major new reservoir in years has cleared a key regulatory hurdle
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Amid a severe drought, California regulators on Wednesday advanced what could be the state's first major new water storage project in years despite warnings it would hasten the extinction of an endangered salmon species while disrupting the cultural traditions of some native tribes.
The plan is to build a new lake in Northern California that, when full, could hold enough water to supply 3 million households for one year. Supporters need about $4 billion to build it. Wednesday's vote by the California Water Commission means the lake — named Sites Reservoir — is eligible for about $800 million in taxpayer money, or about 20% of the project's price tag.
The vote is a major milestone for the reservoir, one of seven water storage projects now eligible to receive public money from a 2014 voter-approved bond. But environmental groups complained it was too early for regulators to say the project was feasible, especially since it hasn't completed multiple environmental reviews required by state and federal law.
They argue the project would pull even more water from the state's rivers, which are already so depleted that fish hatcheries must send fish downstream by truck to give them a chance to survive.
