THE STATE WATER PROJECT

California has enough water to meet its needs, but two-thirds of the water sources are located in Northern California and more than two-thirds of the demand in Southern California. In California, most people do not live near abundant water supplies. Californians must store water when and where it is available and then move it to where and when it is needed. The State Water Project brings water to many of these areas, including the Santa Clarita Valley. Other benefits of the State Water Project are flood control, energy generation, recreation, and fish and wildlife enhancement.

The State Water Project is a water delivery system of 29 reservoirs, 17 pumping plants, 5 power plants, and 660 miles of aqueducts and canals. It is operated by the California Department of Water Resources.

A QUICK TOUR OF THE PATH THAT OUR WATER TAKES
FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TO THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY

The State Water Project extends for more than 600 miles from north to south through the state.

Water is first stored in Lake Oroville, located northeast of Sacramento. At Oroville Dam, water flows through three power plants, then down the Feather and Sacramento Rivers before reaching the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a complex network of natural and made-made channels at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers near the cities of Sacramento and Stockton. Water makes its way through the Delta to the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant where it begins its journey over 300 miles south in the California Aqueduct.

At the A.D. Edmonston Pumping Plant the water is lifted 1,926 feet (the highest single lift in the world) where it enters eight and a half miles of tunnels to cross the Tehachapi Mountains. From this point the water continues south through the West Branch of the California Aqueduct to Quail Lake, Pyramid Lake and finally into Castaic Lake.

Castaic Lake is the source of water supply for the Castaic Lake Water Agency.

Water is withdrawn from Castaic Lake through the intake tower just north of the main dam. From the dam, the water flows through underground pipelines as large as 244" in diameter to supply CLWA's two treatment plants, the Earl Schmidt Filtration Plant and the Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant.

• State Department of Water Resources - http://wwwdwr.water.ca.gov/
• State Water Projects - http://www.water.ca.gov/nav.cfm?topic=State_Water_Project