Trump Administration Approves Largest California Reservoir Project in Fifty Years
The Trump administration has officially approved the construction of the Sites Reservoir, clearing the final federal hurdle for California’s largest new water storage project in nearly five decades. The Department of the Interior, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, signed the Record of Decision to authorize federal participation and funding for the massive infrastructure initiative, located approximately 70 miles northwest of Sacramento.
The project represents a rare point of policy convergence between the Trump administration and California Governor Gavin Newsom. While the two leaders frequently clash on national issues, both have aggressively pushed to expand water storage capacity in the drought-prone state. The approval follows Governor Newsom’s use of state streamlining laws, specifically Senate Bill 149, which expedited the judicial review process and limited litigation delays under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Situated in Colusa and Glenn counties, the off-stream reservoir is designed to hold 1.5 million acre-feet of water—enough to supply roughly 3 million households annually. Unlike traditional dams that block river flows, the Sites Reservoir will divert water from the Sacramento River during “wet” years or high-flow storm events and store it in a valley west of Maxwell for use during dry periods. The project is estimated to cost nearly $6 billion, with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation authorized to cover up to 25 percent of the total expense. Construction is currently scheduled to begin in late 2026 or early 2027, with a target completion date of 2033.
Despite the bipartisan political backing, the project faces significant opposition from environmental coalitions. Organizations such as the Sierra Club, Friends of the River, and various fishing groups argue that diverting large volumes of water will devastate the Sacramento River ecosystem and accelerate the extinction of endangered fish species, particularly native salmon. Critics have labeled the project a “water grab” that benefits corporate agriculture at the expense of the environment and have raised concerns regarding methane emissions associated with the reservoir’s surface. Supporters, however, maintain that the off-stream design mitigates these risks and is essential for adapting to climate shifts that cause more volatile swings between flooding and drought.
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