U.S.'s largest off-stream reservoir in Merced County to expand, aiding millions

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The nation’s largest off-stream reservoir - Merced County's San Luis Reservoir - is acceptable to go adjacent larger aft a negotiated statement was met for the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project.

The San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority says the reservoir has a existent full capableness of astir 2 cardinal acre-feet of h2o with a dam crest 352 feet tall. The associated task volition adhd 10 feet to the dam to make an further 130,000 acre-feet of retention abstraction in the reservoir.

The Water Authority adds that the task volition nutrient further h2o proviso for 2 cardinal people, implicit 1 cardinal acres of farmland, and 135,000 acres of Pacific Flyway wetlands and captious wildlife habitat.

The Bureau of Reclamation signed the Record of Decision for the task connected Oct. 20 and announced the statement Wednesday.