DWR, Reclamation, and Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) are collaborating with local, State and federal agencies and stakeholders on studies to expand CCWD’s existing Los Vaqueros Reservoir to benefit other Bay Area water users. The existing Los Vaqueros Project was completed in 1997 to provide 100 TAF of offstream water storage to improve water quality and provide emergency storage for CCWD customers. Water is diverted from the Delta at the existing Old River pump station when Delta water quality is good and impact to Delta fisheries is low and pumped to the Los Vaqueros Reservoir for storage. Recent studies have evaluated expansions from 25 TAF to 275 TAF. New Delta intakes, pumps, and pipelines would be required to fill the new reservoir capacity, and water deliveries would be made from the expanded reservoir to Bay Area beneficiaries through new conveyance facilities.

Planning Objectives

• Improve Bay Area water supply reliability
• Provide a lower-cost water supply for the long-term Environmental Water Account or equivalent program
• While meeting the first two objectives, improve the quality of water for Bay Area water users

• Email at lv@water.ca.gov

• Final, Initial Economic Evaluation for Plan Formulation Report
• Notice of Initiation of Federal Feasibility Studies (pdf 1.5 MB)
• Conducted scoping meetings in Jan 2006
• Issued a Notice of Preparation/Notice of Intent (NOP/NOI) for environmental documentation (EIR/EIS) in Dec 2005 and Jan 2006
• Completed Initial Alternatives Information Report in September 2005
  

For more information about this project and documents, go to http://www.lvstudies.com.

Reclamation, in coordination with DWR and CCWD, has begun the preparation of a Feasibility Study Report and environmental documents.

• Complete Draft Feasibility Study Report and EIS/EIR by Spring 2008
• Complete Feasibility Study Report and EIS/EIR by Winter 2009