State Water Project

A drone provides a view of a section of the California Aqueduct within the California State Water Project, located near John R. Teerink Pumping Plant, which convey California Aqueduct water between Buena Vista and John R. Teerink Pumping Plants within Kern County.

A drone provides a view of a section of the California Aqueduct within the California State Water Project, located near John R. Teerink Pumping Plant.

The California State Water Project (SWP) is a multi-purpose water storage and delivery system that extends more than 705 miles -- two-thirds the length of California. A collection of canals, pipelines, reservoirs, and hydroelectric power facilities delivers clean water to 27 million Californians, 750,000 acres of farmland, and businesses throughout our state.

Planned, built, operated and maintained by DWR, the SWP is the nation’s largest state-owned water and power generator and user-financed water system. The project is considered an engineering marvel that has helped fuel California’s population boom and economic prosperity since its initial construction.

For the last 20 years, the California State Water Project’s average water is 34 percent for agricultural and 66 percent for residential, municipal, and industrial.

The State Water Project also plays an important role in efforts to combat climate change. Not only does it help California manage its water supply during extremes such as flooding and drought, it is also a major source of hydroelectric power deliveries for the State's power grid.

Benefits of the SWP:

The primary purpose of the SWP is water supply delivery and flood control, but it provides many additional benefits, including:

  • Power generation
  • Recreation activities
  • Environmental stewardship

 

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