Watershed Resilience Pilot Project presentation, Nov 25

Speaker: Jim Peifer Executive Director, Regional Water Authority

The Watershed Resilience Pilot Project, which is being funded by a grant from the Department of Water Resources, is an initiative that evaluates the impacts of Climate Change and identifies strategies to adapt to those impacts. The Pilot examines nine interconnected systems that are affected by climate and weather: ecosystem, flood management, groundwater supply, hydropower, surface water supply, agriculture, recreation, water quality, and community and equity. The focus is on strategies that benefit multiple systems at once and that address the most vulnerable assets and communities. To learn more about the Pilot, click this link: https://rwawatershedsresilience.com/

This is an opportunity for our members to learn how our ideas on climate adaptation can be included in the Watershed Resilience Pilot Project study and even share them with Jim at the meeting.

To hear the presentation, please join us at our November ECOS Board meeting today, Tuesday, November 25, 2025, on Zoom. The presentation is scheduled to start at 7pm.

Click here for the agenda.

Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

ECOS Water Committee presentation: the RiverArc Project

The Water Committee will be hosting a short presentation and discussion regarding a major regional water supply project for our region – RiverArc – at its August 12 meeting from 5:30 until 6:30.

Join us by Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155 to learn more about the project and then join in on a discussion of what important topics/issues we believe need to be addressed in the project’s environmental impact analysis. The Project proponents and consultants will be available to discuss both the project and our environmental concerns.

RIVER ARC PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The RiverArc partners (City of Sacramento, Placer County Water Agency [PCWA], City of Roseville, and Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) are proposing the RiverArc Project to support water supply and environmental benefits in the Sacramento Region.

The proposed project would shift a portion of existing and planned regional water demand from the Lower American River to the Sacramento River. To accomplish this shift, the proposed project would divert water through the existing NMWC Pritchard Lake Diversion intake facility at RM 75.15 on the Sacramento River, deliver the river water via a new raw water pipeline to a new regional Water Treatment Plant, and distribute the treated surface water east and south through new and existing pipelines to service areas of the RiverArc partners. See more details here: https://www.riverarcproject.com/

The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will include a project-level analysis for the initial construction and operation phase of the proposed project (Phase I) and a program-level analysis for later project expansion phases (Future Phases). This approach allows for the initial phase to proceed through the permitting process and to construction in the near future, whereas the program-level analysis will appropriately reflect the more preliminary level of design pertaining to the future expansion phases. See the Notice of Preparation (NOP) here: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/dou/utilities/projects/RiverArc_NOP_Final.pdf

ECOS Comments on the Federally Recognized Regional Water Bank

On July 21, 2025, ECOS submitted a letter regarding the Regional Water Authority’s direction regarding a federally recognized Regional Water Bank.

Click here to view the letter.

ECOS Comments on scope and content of the EIR for the RiverArc Project

On May 23, 2025, ECOS submitted a letter containing our comments on the scope and content of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the RiverArc Project.

Below is an excerpt.

Given the critical importance of developing a sustainable water supply under increasingly unpredictable environmental conditions, we support improving regional water resource coordination through such coalitions as the Water Forum. ECOS Water Committee supports the concept of environmental benefits to the Lower American River intended through implementation of this project.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Harvest Water Talk with ECOS Water Committee, 4/8/2025

Please join the ECOS Water Committee on April 8, 2025 at 5:30 pm over zoom for a special guest presentation and discussion about the Harvest Water Program. Jofil Borja, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Manager, and John Nurmi, Senior Civil Engineer, of the Sacramento Area Sewer District, will be presenting this deep dive into a large, local infrastructure project. Harvest Water will bring high quality recycled water (tertiary treated recycled water from the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility) to the southern portion of Sacramento County for use in irrigating agricultural and existing habitat lands.

The project represents a long-term solution for future drought conditions by reducing the pressure on local groundwater aquifer stores by up to 50,000 acre feet per year, equivalent to 16 billion gallons per year, which is equivalent to roughly 2000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Harvest Water is currently under construction and is anticipated to be operational in 2027. By reducing the amount of groundwater pumped by farmers, it is anticipated that the groundwater aquifer can be restored to historic levels. This would bring a number of ecosystem benefits to the region including improvements in riparian and wetland habitat and increased streamflows in the Consumnes River. These benefits will enhance the habitats of various listed species including Sandhill crane, Swainson’s hawk, and fall-run Chinook salmon.