CALIFORNIA STATE WATER PROJECT

The SWP’s main purposes are to provide water storage and delivery. Its supply comes mainly from rainfall, snowmelt runoff, and excess flows in the Delta during wet years.

SWP water is delivered to contracting agencies in Northern California, the San Francisco Bay area, the Central Coast, San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California. The water supplements surface and groundwater resources for most of these agencies.

The California State Water Project is a water storage and delivery system of reservoirs, aqueducts, powerplants and pumping plants. Its main purpose is to store water and distribute it to 29 urban and agricultural water suppliers in Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, and Southern California. Of the contracted water supply, 70 percent goes to urban users and 30 percent goes to agricultural users.

The Project makes deliveries to two-thirds of California's population. It is maintained and operated by the California Department of Water Resources.

The Project is also operated to improve water quality in the Delta, control Feather River flood waters, provide recreation, and enhance fish and wildlife.

Size

Today, the Project includes 32 storage facilities, reservoirs and lakes; 17 pumping plants; 3 pumping-generating plants; 5 hydroelectric power plants; and about 660 miles of open canals and pipelines.

The Project provides supplemental water to approximately 20 million Californians and about 660,000 acres of irrigated farmland.

Source:  California Department of Water Resources

Additional benefits:

Power

Flood Control                                        

Fish and Wildlife Protection

Recreation