The Sacramento region has been awarded more than $1.15 million in direct funding assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to advance the Sacramento Regional Water Bank and River Arc, two projects central to enhancing the region’s resiliency to climate change.
“We appreciate our ongoing partnership with Reclamation and their funding assistance, which will help advance two projects that are key to the region’s water supply reliability,” said RWA Board Chair Paul Schubert of Golden State Water Company.
The Sacramento Regional Water Bank is an innovative groundwater storage program with the potential to provide both local and statewide water reliability and environmental benefits. The Water Bank will allow the region to sustainably increase use of groundwater as a local water source during dry weather periods, allowing more water to flow down the lower American River for environmental needs.
The River Arc project will help the region diversify water supplies and reduce reliance on the lower American River through a new conveyance and water treatment facility along the Sacramento River. An alternative diversion on the Sacramento River was supported as part of the region’s historic Water Forum Agreement signed in 2000.
Funding is provided through Reclamation’s Basin Study Program and will allow Reclamation and local partners, including the Regional Water Authority and Placer County Water Agency, to explore how the Water Bank and River Arc could increase local water reliability while providing Reclamation with greater flexibility in operating Folsom Reservoir. In particular, funding will allow RWA and PCWA to develop and evaluate strategies for operating the Water Bank and River Arc with technical modeling of operational scenarios.
Learn more about the Sacramento region’s climate resiliency projects.
