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Upper San Jaoquin River Basin Storage Investigation
Millerton Lake Area

The new era approach is revealed by the investigation’s emphasis on how Upper San Joaquin Storage can enhance the San Joaquin River restoration efforts and improve supply reliability for agricultural, municipal and industrial, and environmental uses in the Friant Division, the San Joaquin Valley, and other regions of the State. Integration of conjunctive management and water transfer concepts into project formulations will also be evaluated.  Additional storage will also provide flood damage reduction benefits.

In 2001, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) initiated the Upper San Jaoquin River Basin Storage Investigation (Investigation). The Investigation is a feasibility study evaluating alternatives to develop water supplies from the San Jaoquin River that could contribute to restoration of, and improve water quality in, the San Jaoquin River, and enhance conjunctive management and exchanges to provide high-quality water to urban areas.

DWR, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and their partners have developed a two-phase Plan of Study. Phase 1 will identify water resource opportunities and issues in the Upper San Joaquin River watershed. This phase will include an appraisal of opportunities to increase surface storage and conjunctive uses for groundwater. Phase 2 will be more detailed and will begin with public meetings to determine the scope of the study.

Public involvement is important to the program. DWR and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will work with the public and key local, state and federal agencies, coordinate related activities, and present its technical findings. Public involvement will be open and will guide the agencies' planning efforts.

Planning Objectives

  • Contribute to restoration of the San Joaquin River
  • Improve water quality of the San Joaquin River
  • Facilitate additional conjunctive management and water exchanges that improve the quality of water deliveries to urban communities
  • To the extent possible, the Upper San Joaquin River Basin Storage Investigation will explore opportunities to provide other benefits that could include hydropower, flood control, and recreation

Status

DWR and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation are currently preparing a Plan Formulation Report for the Upper San Joaquin River Basin Storage Investigation.  Simultaneously, surveys for environmental documentation and permit applications are being performed in the study area.  Surveys for engineering assessments, including drilling and other geotechnical work, is continuing during the summer of 2006.

 

General Schedule

  • Complete Feasibility Report and EIS/EIR by Summer 2010

Accomplishments

  • Completed a plan of study that details the scope of the Investigation.
  • Identified 15 surface storage options that could potentially serve as an equivalent storage program to Friant Dam Enlargement.
  • Initiated a series of stakeholder workshops open to the public to encourage participation by interested parties in the formulation and evaluation of alternatives.

The following documents have been completed:

Please see the Bureau of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation website http://www.usbr.gov/mp/sccao/storage/ for additional information and a copy of these documents.

 

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