Sites Reservoir Project

The Sites Reservoir Project is a proposed 1.5-million-acre-foot, off-stream storage facility in California designed to capture and store excess Sacramento River flows for release during dry and critical years. The project will support environmental, municipal, and agricultural water needs and includes dams, pumping and generating facilities, conveyance infrastructure, and grid connections.

Why does this project matter?

Sites Reservoir will improve water supply reliability and climate resilience across California while supporting environmental flows and ecosystem needs. By capturing high-flow stormwater, the project helps balance water availability during increasingly variable hydrologic conditions.

What is ESA doing to help?

ESA supported the Sites Project Team with strategy and technical input during agency negotiations, including development of project operations, conservation measures, and a framework for science and adaptive management. Our team also conducted effects analyses to support preparation of a biological assessment and ongoing environmental review and is currently supporting floristic surveys.

To support compliance across planning, design, and construction, ESA is also implementing its Beacon software platform to document and track a huge range of compliance obligations including biological resources, cultural resources, and mitigation planning.