Category Archives: Water Committee

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.

More info

Harvest Water Website
Harvest Water Ecosystem Benefits

To join the meeting

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

Sacramento County FY25 Appropriations – Community Project Requests

On April 2, 2024, ECOS submitted a letter to U.S. Representatives Doris Matsui, Alex Padilla, Ami Bera and Laphonza Butler regarding Sacramento County’s FY25 Community Project Requests for the Cosumnes River Multi-Benefit Project and the Arden Service Area Water Metering project.

Below is an excerpt from our letter.

The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) strongly supports Sacramento County’s FY25 Community Project Requests for the Cosumnes River Multi-Benefit Project and the Arden Service Area Water Metering project.

…

Sacramento County seeks $2 million for technical, planning and design assistance for the Cosumnes River Multi-Benefit Project. The funds will be used to support County efforts to identify flood risk reduction measures, water recharge areas and project options, and habitat restoration opportunities along the lower Cosumnes River (including flood risk reductions that protect private water infrastructure). This multibenefit program will lead to significant improvements in flood protection and identify opportunities for additional habitat and water supply reliability benefits in the Lower Cosumnes River.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Environmental Community Based Representation on Groundwater Sustainability Agency Boards

On January 29, 2024, ECOS submitted a letter to the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Boards in the Sacramento Area about Environmental Community Based Representation.

Below is an excerpt of the letter.

Groundwater management has taken a huge step forward with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and the formation of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) throughout California. The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) is very supportive of the Sacramento Area GSA efforts to develop and begin implementation of their Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSP) and feels the Region has done a good job of working through a multitude of technical issues. ECOS believes implementation of these GSPs requires close coordination between the GSAs, water purveyors, and the public as evidenced by our comments on the GSP annual reports to the State. One way coordination can be improved is through the inclusion of broader representation on GSA Boards of Directors.

Click here to read the letter.