Opportunities to provide water to San Joaquin
County are heavily constrained by current uses and availability. About 60%
of the County's water demand is dependent on groundwater. Moreover, the
groundwater basin underlying the County is faced with groundwater overdraft, a
condition whereas groundwater is pumped out of the basin more often than it is
replenished by natural or artificial means. Groundwater overdraft also
threatens groundwater quality by making way for the Delta's saline waters to
migrate into the reaches of fresh groundwater sources.
In addition to the
basin's troubling health, the region's water sources is
also constrained by development of the region's sources
for uses outside of the region. The MORE WATER
Project was developed to help remedy these issues and,
therefore, is vital to sustain future social, economic
and social viability.
The MORE WATER project
seeks to develop new water storage facility to capture
flood flows from the Mokelumne River and regulate water
supply to an integrated system of conjunctive use
projects. MORE WATER will provide additional
storage capacity and water supply reliability for San
Joaquin County which is home to nearly 700,000 people, a
number that is expected to double by the year 2040.
Strategies of the MORE
WATER Project include off-stream storage, direct river
diversions, and other options to be explored.
Potential benefits provided by the alternatives include:
- Up to 157,000
acre-feet per year of new water supply
- Up to 8-10
megawatts per year of new hydropower supply
- Decrease in
groundwater overdraft
- Less saline
intrusion into basin
- Increase in water
supply reliability for San Joaquin County and the
Bay-Delta Region
For more detailed
information on the MORE WATER strategies, click
here.
When completed, the MORE
WATER Project will provide water to decrease groundwater
overdraft, prevent saline intrusion and improve water
supply reliability for San Joaquin County and the
Bay-Delta Region.
Why MORE is needed
Water Resource Challenges
Project Benefits
Strategies
Advisory Group
Status and Timeline
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