Proposition 1 Water Storage Investment Program: Funding the Public Benefits of Water Storage Projects
Proposition 1 of 2014 dedicated $2.7 billion for investments in water storage projects. The California Water Commission is administering the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) to fund the public benefits associated with these projects.
In July 2018, the Commission made maximum conditional eligibility determinations, which is the amount of Proposition 1 funding available to a given project, for eight projects that collectively would boost California’s water storage capacity by 4.3 million acre-feet. The projects range from expanding existing reservoirs to boosting groundwater storage to building 21st century surface storage facilities.
Through a rigorous selection process, the Commission chose the eight projects based on the public benefits their projects will provide, such as flood control, ecosystem improvement, water quality improvement, emergency response and recreation. Applicants must now complete the remaining Proposition 1 requirements, including final permits, environmental documents, contracts for the administration of public benefits, and commitments for non-Proposition 1 funding.
Throughout this process, the Commission will continue to meet with the applicants, state agencies and stakeholders to review the status of each project. Once an applicant has obtained all the necessary permits, documents and contracts, the Commission will hold a final award hearing.
The table below shows the $2.7 billion in Proposition 1 funds broken down by Maximum Conditional Eligibility Determinations (MCED) from July 2018, and administrative costs.
| Project |
MCED |
Early Funding* |
|---|---|---|
| Chino Basin Conjunctive Use Program |
$206,900,000 |
|
| Harvest Water Program (previously called South County Ag Program) |
$280,500,000 |
|
| Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project |
$67,537,315 |
|
| Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project |
$459,000,000 |
$22,950,000 |
| Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project |
$484,550,000 |
$24,200,000 |
| Sites Project |
$816,377,686 |
$40,818,884 |
| Temperance Flat Reservoir Project |
$171,330,000 |
|
| Willow Springs Water Bank Conjunctive Use Project |
$95,405,999 |
|
| Total MCEDs |
$2,581,601,000 |
$87,968,884 |
| Statewide bond costs (Treasurer's office) | $54,000,000 | |
| Program delivery (State operations) |
$64,399,000 |
|
| Total Proposition 1 funds | $2,700,000,000 |
For information about other State funding opportunities, please visit the Department of Water Resources' Grants and Loans page or the California Financing Coordinating Committee website.