Administrative Hearings Office

Sites Project Authority – Application 25517X01

The Sites Project Authority proposes to build a 1.5 million acre-feet reservoir to store water from the Sacramento River for future uses, including agriculture, municipal, and fish and wildlife preservation. If approved and completed, it would be the largest reservoir built in the state in over 50 years. Increased water storage from the project would contribute to statewide goals of building climate resilience and long-term water reliability by adding 9 million acre-feet of new storage by 2040.

The project would use existing infrastructure to divert water from the Sacramento River near Red Bluff and Hamilton City and store it 17 miles west in Glenn and Colusa counties. New and existing facilities would transfer water into and out of the reservoir, ultimately releasing water back to existing canals or the river system for use by storage partners.

Project proponents include state and federal agencies, public irrigation districts in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys and urban water suppliers serving the Bay Area and Southern California.

Revised Draft Decision and Revised Draft Permit Available for Review

The Administrative Hearings Office (AHO) has prepared on behalf of the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) a revised Draft Decision with responses to comments received (Appendix A) and associated revised Draft Water Right Permit for the Sites Reservoir Project. Redlined versions of the Revised Draft Decision and Revised Draft Permit identifying the revisions to the March 2026 Draft Decision and Draft Permit are available below for a limited time and are also available on the FTP site for this proceeding.

Revised Draft Decision Responses to Comments Revised Draft Permit Decision Redline Permit Redline

Comments on the revised Draft Decision and revised Draft Permit should be submitted to Sites-WR-Application@waterboards.ca.gov by October 5, 2026.

The State Water Resources Control Board will consider whether to adopt the revised Draft Decision and Draft Water Right Permit at a public board meeting to be held on November 4, 2026.

About the Sites Project Authority Hearing

In 2026, the State Water Board’s AHO concluded a public hearing regarding the petitions and accompanying water right application filed by the Sites Project Authority for the Sites Reservoir Project. The hearing gathered evidence for the State Water Board to consider in determining whether to approve the petitions and water right application for the Sites Reservoir Project, and if so, the terms and conditions to be included in any approvals.

On March 20, 2026, the AHO circulated a Draft Decision and associated Draft Water Right Permit. The AHO invited comments from parties and members of the public on those drafts.

The revised Draft Decision and associated revised Draft Water Right Permit reflect careful consideration of those comments. The revisions aim to balance the project’s water supply

Sites Hearing Recordings

Sites Hearing Documents