
On Jan. 14, 2025, the Valley Water Board of Directors voted to continue funding its share of the planning and design work for the Delta Conveyance Project, the State of California’s proposed plan to improve the infrastructure that moves water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This additional funding will support planning and preconstruction costs through 2027 and is projected to cost Valley Water $9.69 million.
Santa Clara County relies on water delivered through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for approximately 40% of its water supply. However, the Delta water system is aging and becoming less reliable due to climate change and stricter regulations aimed at protecting fish species such as the Delta Smelt, Chinook Salmon and Steelhead.
The Delta Conveyance Project will protect against future water supply losses caused by climate-driven weather extremes, sea level rise, levee failures, and earthquakes. It will modernize the water distribution system to capture and move water from big but infrequent storms so we can save more water to use during extended dry periods. The project could start providing water supply benefits as early as 2045.
“It is important for our agency to keep funding the planning and design of the Delta Conveyance Project,” Valley Water Board Vice Chair Richard Santos said. “Since we import more than 40% of our water supply through the Delta, it is essential to invest in that infrastructure. At the same time, we are committed to prioritizing a comprehensive water conservation program and initiatives for purified water and stormwater capture. This project would provide a reliable water source for millions of Californians, as over two-thirds of the state's water supply comes from the Sierra Nevada mountains and eventually flows through the Delta.”
Extreme weather is leading to less snow and more rain in the winter months. California is expected to lose 10% of its water supply by 2040. Without upgrades to the State Water Project’s decades-old infrastructure, water supply will continue to decline, putting at risk clean drinking water for 27 million people.
Valley Water is one of 18 agencies participating in the proposed Delta Conveyance Project, estimated to cost $20.12 billion. The Board’s vote to keep funding the project’s planning and preconstruction efforts does not commit Valley Water to fully participating in the project. A decision to participate fully in the project is anticipated to be made in 2027.
To read more about the Delta Conveyance Project, please visit the California Department of Water Resources website at water.ca.gov/Programs/State-Water-Project/Delta-Conveyance.
Photo caption: A drone view of the Bethany Reservoir, impounded by five dams in Alameda County, serves as a forebay for the South Bay Pumping Plant and afterbay for Banks Pumping Plant. Photo courtesy of the California Department of Water Resources.