As we contend with climate change and extreme weather, Valley Water remains committed to providing Santa Clara County with a reliable supply of safe, clean water into the future.
Valley Water outlines its strategy for sustainably achieving this goal in the Water Supply Master Plan. One of the projects being evaluated through the Water Supply Master Plan is the Delta Conveyance Project, the State of California’s proposed plan to improve the infrastructure that carries water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
On June 25, 2024, Valley Water staff will provide the Board of Directors with an update on the Delta Conveyance Project and Water Supply Master Plan. Community members interested in learning more are encouraged to attend in person at the Valley Water Headquarters Building Boardroom, 5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA 95118 at 1:00 p.m. or join remotely via Zoom: https://valleywater.zoom.us/j/84454515597.
Currently, Santa Clara County relies on water imported through the Delta for about 40% of its water supply. However, the Delta water system is outdated and its reliability is under threat due to climate change. The goals of the Delta Conveyance Project are to modernize the State Water Project and protect California’s water supply from climate change and seismic risks. The Delta Conveyance Project would improve the ability to capture, move, and store water when high flows are available while meeting protections for fisheries and water quality. The conveyance of high flows will become increasingly important as climate change brings more rain instead of snow in the winter months and extreme weather conditions become more common.
The Delta Conveyance Project update will include information recently released by the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority regarding the project’s updated cost estimate, which increased from $15.9 billion to $20.1 billion. The California Department of Water Resources also released an economic evaluation, known as a Benefit-Cost Analysis, which compares the long-term benefits to the costs of the project. The Benefit-Cost Analysis determined that for every $1 spent on construction and maintenance, the project would produce $2.2 in water supply benefits, under a moderate climate change scenario.
Valley Water staff is evaluating this information and incorporating it into the Water Supply Master Plan update.
In 2020, the Valley Water Board of Directors voted to participate in the preliminary stages of the Delta Conveyance Project with a 3.23% share of the project. The Board of Directors also committed nearly $11 million over the last four years for planning and designs costs. The final decision by Valley Water’s Board of Directors to participate in the project will occur after the environmental review, permitting and design is complete.
To read more about the Delta Conveyance Project, please visit the California Department of Water Resources website at water.ca.gov/deltaconveyance
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.