Water for the Environment — Sites Reservoir's Most Remarkable Feature

Of all the things that set Sites Reservoir apart from every reservoir California has ever built, one stands above the rest: for the first time in state history, a reservoir will include storage dedicated exclusively to the environment.

California's Water History — and Its Blind Spot

For over a century, California built water infrastructure to serve two priorities: agriculture and urban growth. The environment — rivers, wetlands, fish, migratory birds — was largely treated as an afterthought. The consequences have been serious. Salmon populations have declined sharply. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been chronically short of fresh water. Wetlands that once supported millions of migratory birds have been drained or degraded.

Sites Reservoir was designed with those failures in mind.

What Environmental Dedication Looks Like in Practice

Of the 1.5 million acre-feet Sites Reservoir will provide, up to 372,020 acre-feet is reserved exclusively for environmental use. That's not a side benefit — it's built into the project's core purpose.

The Permitting Process Reflects This Commitment

Getting environmental permits for a project this scale is extraordinarily complex. The Sites Project Authority went through three rounds of environmental review between 2017 and 2023, engaged tribal nations with cultural and historical ties to the area, and worked closely with federal and state fish and wildlife agencies to design genuine protections for listed species.

These aren't rubber stamps. They're the result of years of scientific analysis and genuine redesign efforts to protect the environment.

Why This Matters for Colusa County

Environmental stewardship isn't just good policy here — it's good economics. Waterfowl hunting and wildlife tourism contribute millions of dollars annually to communities throughout the Sacramento Valley. Agriculture depends on reliable, healthy water systems. And as this project draws national attention and investment, Colusa County is on the map in a way it hasn't been before.

The economic activity it generates — from construction employment to long-term operational jobs — is an opportunity forward-thinking investors and property owners should not overlook.

Next: Post 4 breaks down the full funding picture — how California and the federal government are putting billions behind this project.