The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority expresses its sincere appreciation for an award of an additional $125 million in funding for the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“We want to extend our gratitude to the Bureau of Reclamation for their continued support and partnership. This funding is crucial for developing the water supply infrastructure needed to ensure reliable water delivery to our communities, farms, and wildlife refuges. The B.F. Sisk Dam Raise project will increase the reservoir’s storage capacity by 130,000 acre-feet, enhancing our ability to capture and store water during wet years for use during dry periods,” said Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority.
This investment will benefit over two million people, more than one million acres of farmland, and 135,000 acres of Pacific Flyway wetlands. It represents a significant step towards improving water supply reliability and operational flexibility for the farms, communities, and wildlife reliant on water provided by the member agencies of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, particularly in the face of California’s variable climate and regulatory challenges.
“The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority looks forward to continuing its strong partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation as we work together to build a more resilient water future for California,” added Barajas
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Project Background
The B.F. Sisk Dam and San Luis Reservoir are crucial components of the Central Valley Project/California State Water Project, providing water to over 25 million Californians, 2 million acres of farmland, and 200,000 acres of managed wetlands.
Safety of Dams: A seismic risk analysis completed in 2006 necessitated the B.F. Sisk Dam Safety of Dams (SOD) Modification Project, which includes raising the dam crest by 12 feet to enhance seismic stability without increasing water storage.
Project Benefits
The project aims to improve water management, increase water supply reliability for South-of-Delta users, enhance wetland habitat management, provide water to California communities, and improve public safety by reducing seismic risk on SR 152.
Dam Raise & Reservoir Expansion
In addition to the SOD Modification, the project proposes an additional 10-foot raise of the dam to increase storage capacity by approximately 130,000 acre-feet, along with modifications to SR 152 for protection and seismic stability.
B.F. Sisk Dam and San Luis Reservoir, located on the west side of California’s Central Valley about 12 miles west of Los Banos, are an integral part of the federal Central Valley Project (CVP) and California State Water Project (SWP). The dam, built between 1963 and 1967, is a 382-foot-high earthfill embankment over 3.5-miles long that impounds San Luis Reservoir, the largest offstream reservoir in the United States. The reservoir has a total capacity of more than 2 million acre-feet, which provides irrigation water and municipal and industrial water for the CVP and SWP. B.F. Sisk Dam, previously known as San Luis Dam, is owned by the Bureau of Reclamation and operated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Reservoir storage space is allotted 55% state and 45% federal.