Who's Building It? The Contractor Opportunity of a Decade

Behind every major infrastructure project is the organization that makes it happen. For Sites Reservoir, that's the Sites Project Authority — a Joint Powers Authority formed in 2010 by seven regional agencies with a shared mission: get this reservoir built.

The Sites Project Authority

The Authority is governed by a Board of Directors representing its member agencies, with Executive Director Jerry Brown overseeing day-to-day operations from the Authority's office in Maxwell. The project's core values reflect a thoughtful approach to a project of this magnitude:

The CMAR Delivery Model

Sites Reservoir is being built using a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) model — increasingly common on major public infrastructure because it aligns incentives between owner and contractor. The prime contractor is brought in during the design phase to help refine plans, identify constructability issues, and develop pricing before construction begins. This reduces surprises and keeps the project on track.

The Subcontractor and Supplier Ecosystem

Here's what many people overlook: the CMAR contracts are just the top tier. Beneath each prime contractor is a vast network of subcontractors, specialty contractors, suppliers, and service providers who will perform much of the actual work.

Civil earthwork, concrete, electrical, mechanical, pipeline installation, environmental compliance monitoring, safety management, equipment supply and rental, fuel, food service, temporary facilities — the list is extensive. Projects of this scale generate thousands of jobs across hundreds of companies.

What This Means for Commercial Real Estate

If you're a contractor — prime, sub, or supplier — planning to work on Sites Reservoir, one of your first logistical challenges is where to set up operations and where to house your people. Maxwell is a small town. The surrounding area has limited existing commercial and industrial space. That scarcity creates real value for the properties that are available.

With construction ramping up in 2026 and 2027, the window to get positioned is right now — not after the workforce has already arrived.

Next: Post 6 takes a broader look at what this project means for living and working in Colusa County — and why the communities of Williams and Delevan are at the center of it all.