California's Most Exciting Water Project Is Being Built Right in Our Backyard

If you haven't been following the Sites Reservoir Project, now is the time to pay attention. This is one of the most significant infrastructure undertakings in California history — and it's happening right here in Colusa County.

Sites Reservoir is a proposed off-stream water storage facility with a capacity of up to 1.5 million acre-feet — placing it among the eight largest reservoirs in the entire state. Located just outside of Maxwell, a small farming community in the heart of the Sacramento Valley about 65 miles northwest of Sacramento, this project is built for the California of today and tomorrow.

What makes Sites fundamentally different from every reservoir California has built before? It doesn't dam a river. Instead, it captures stormwater from the Sacramento River during heavy rainfall events — water that would otherwise flow unused to the ocean — and stores it for use during the hot, dry months when the state needs it most. It's a smarter, more modern approach to water management.

This isn't a future proposal — it's happening now. In January 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation issued its Record of Decision, clearing a major federal environmental hurdle. Barnard Construction Company has been selected as the primary contractor. The pieces are in place.

Over the next several weeks, I'll be publishing a deep-dive series covering every dimension of this project — from the engineering and environmental benefits to the economic opportunity it creates for contractors, workers, businesses, and investors. This is your guide to understanding what's coming and how to get ahead of it.

Stay tuned for Post 2, where we break down exactly how Sites Reservoir works — the engineering behind California's next great water project.