WASHINGTON, DC – Congressmen John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, Davis, Yuba City, CA and Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale, CA) have sent a bipartisan joint letter, signed by 42 members of the California Congressional delegation, to the California Water Commission supporting Proposition 1 funding for Sites Reservoir.

The Sites Project is a 1.8 million acre-foot, off-stream reservoir that would divert and store excess Sacramento River flows, benefitting California’s economy and the environment.

This will help California achieve its co-equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem improvement.

“Sites Reservoir is one of the most useful, cost-effective water infrastructure projects California could build,” said Garamendi. “It is an ideal project that can provide water for agriculture, urban uses, and the environment. The support for the Sites Project from a majority of the California Congressional delegation speaks to the statewide benefits of the project.”

LaMalfa said: “North and South, rural and urban, Republican and Democrat, California’s leaders agree on one thing: our state needs to invest in Sites Reservoir to meet the water supply challenges of today and the future. Sites provides more water per dollar invested than any other proposed project in the state, enough to supply millions of Californians for an entire year, while also creating environmental benefits and allowing smart recapture and reuse of water released from other reservoirs. Investing in Sites will fulfill the will of the 67% of Californians who supported Proposition 1 funding for water storage infrastructure, and I hope the California Water Commission recognizes the project’s diverse benefits.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Garamendi and LaMalfa are also the authors of HR.1269, which would expedite federal review of the Sites Project.