Video: Why Valley Water is evaluating California’s Delta Conveyance Project

January 5, 2026

Every day, Santa Clara County relies on a mix of local and imported water to meet our community’s water needs. As climate change brings longer and more severe droughts, Valley Water is exploring ways to strengthen our water supply. One key project under evaluation is the State of California’s Delta Conveyance Project.

To plan for a reliable supply of safe, clean water now and in the future, Valley Water follows the Water Supply Master Plan 2050. This long-term plan guides investments that support water reliability, sustainability, and resilience in the decades ahead.

The Delta Conveyance Project is one of the projects included in the Water Supply Master Plan 2050. The project is the state’s proposal to modernize the way water moves through the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. About 40% of Santa Clara County's water flows through Delta waterways constructed by man-made levees. However, the existing infrastructure is aging and vulnerable to sea-level rise, earthquakes, and flooding. The Delta Conveyance Project would reduce these risks by upgrading and protecting this key part of California’s water system.

The project would also give the state more flexibility in how and when water is diverted. It would allow water to be captured during large but infrequent storm events, giving us the opportunity to store that water for use in dry periods when we need it the most. This could improve water reliability and help protect fish and wildlife that live and migrate through the Delta. If built, the project would include two new intake structures on the Sacramento River near Sacramento, where water quality is better. Water would pass through advanced fish screens and into a single tunnel beneath the Delta, which would carry it to existing pumping facilities in the south.

Valley Water is one of 18 agencies funding the project’s planning and design phase, having committed up to $20.7 million through 2026 for planning, permitting, and design. In 2027, the Valley Water Board is scheduled to decide whether to participate in the construction phase. If the Board moves forward, Valley Water’s share of construction costs is currently estimated at $650 million. The full Delta Conveyance Project is estimated to cost $20.1 billion (in 2023 dollars).

Evaluating the Delta Conveyance Project is one part of Valley Water’s broader effort to secure long-term water reliability. Local projects such as water recycling, groundwater management and the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project, also help ensure Santa Clara County can withstand the impacts of climate change and future droughts.

To learn more about how we manage and invest in the county’s water future, visit valleywater.org or explore more resources on our long-term planning efforts.

Valley Water manages an integrated water resources system that includes the supply of clean, safe water, flood protection and stewardship of streams on behalf of Santa Clara County's 2 million residents. The district effectively manages 10 dams and surface water reservoirs, three water treatment plants, an advanced recycled water purification center, a state-of-the-art water quality laboratory, nearly 285 acres of groundwater recharge ponds and 333 miles of waterways. We provide wholesale water and groundwater management services to local municipalities and private water retailers who deliver drinking water directly to homes and businesses in Santa Clara County.