Editing Central Valley Project (section)

== Facilities in the San Joaquin Valley ==

=== Delta and canal system ===
One of the most important parts of the CVP's San Joaquin Valley water system is the series of aqueducts and pumping plants that take water from the [[Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta]] and send it southwards to supply farms and cities.<ref name="Delta">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Delta%20Division%20Project
 |title       = Delta Division
 |publisher   = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
 |work        = Central Valley Project
 |date        = 2009-07-28
 |access-date  = 2010-01-16
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110327122453/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Delta%20Division%20Project
 |archive-date = 2011-03-27
}}</ref> The [[Delta Cross Channel]] intercepts Sacramento River water as it travels westwards towards [[Suisun Bay]] and diverts it south through a series of man-made channels, the [[Mokelumne River]], and other natural sloughs, marshes and distributaries.<ref name="Delta"/> From there, the water travels to the [[C.W. Bill Jones Pumping Plant]], which raises water into the [[Delta-Mendota Canal]], which in turn travels {{convert|117|mi|km}} southwards to Mendota Pool on the San Joaquin River, supplying water to other CVP reservoirs about midway.<ref name="Delta"/> A facility exists at the entrance of the pump plant in order to catch fish that would otherwise end up in the Delta-Mendota Canal.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/tech_services/tracy_research/tracyfacility/MapSchematic.html
|title=Tracy Fish Collection Facility—Map and Schematic
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=Tracy Research
|access-date=2010-01-16
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315150148/http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/tech_services/tracy_research/tracyfacility/MapSchematic.html
|archive-date=2010-03-15
}}</ref> A second canal, the [[Contra Costa Canal]], captures freshwater near the central part of the delta, taking it {{convert|48|mi|km}} southwards, distributing water to the Clayton and Ygnacio Canals in the process, and supplying water to Contra Loma Dam, eventually terminating at Martinez Reservoir.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Martinez%20Dam
|title=Martinez Dam
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=Delta Division
|date=2009-06-04
|access-date=2010-01-16
|archive-date=June 13, 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613140211/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Martinez%20Dam
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

=== San Joaquin River ===
The CVP also has several dams on the [[San Joaquin River]]—which has far less average flow than the Sacramento—in order to divert its water to southern Central Valley aqueducts. The [[Friant Dam]], completed in 1942, is the largest component of the Friant Division of the CVP.<ref name="friantdiv">{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Friant%20Division%20Project
|title=Friant Division
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=Central Valley Project
|date=2009-05-27
|access-date=2010-01-16
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112083924/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Friant%20Division%20Project
|archive-date=November 12, 2011
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> The dam crosses the San Joaquin River where it spills out of the Sierra Nevada, forming [[Millerton Lake]],<ref name="FriantDam">{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Friant%20Dam
|title=Friant Dam
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=Friant Division
|date=2009-06-04
|access-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> which provides water storage for San Joaquin Valley irrigators as well as providing a diversion point for a pair of canals, the [[Friant-Kern Canal]] and the [[Madera Canal]]. The Friant-Kern Canal sends water southwards through the [[Tulare Lake]] area to its terminus at [[Bakersfield, California|Bakersfield]] on the [[Kern River]], supplying irrigation water to [[Tulare County, California|Tulare]], [[Fresno County, California|Fresno]], and [[Kern County, California|Kern]] counties.<ref name="friantdiv"/> The Madera Canal takes water northwards to [[Madera County, California|Madera County]], emptying into the [[Chowchilla River]].<ref name="friantdiv"/> The Central Valley also consisted of 500 miles of canals, providing the city dwellers and power sales from the generation of electricity pay of the project costs.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Great Thirst: Californians and Water|last=Norris|first=Hundley|publisher=University of California Press|year=1992|page=374}}</ref>

=== Stanislaus River ===
On the [[Stanislaus River]], a major tributary of the San Joaquin, lies the relatively independent East Side Division and New Melones Unit of the CVP.<ref name="eastsidediv">{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=New%20Melones%20Unit%20Project
|title=New Melones Unit
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=Central Valley Project
|date=2009-06-17
|access-date=2010-01-16
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171905/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=New%20Melones%20Unit%20Project
|archive-date=2016-03-03
}}</ref> The sole component of the division/unit is [[New Melones Dam]], forming [[New Melones Lake]], which, when filled to capacity, holds nearly {{convert|2400000|acre.ft|dam3}} of water, about equal to the storage capacity of Trinity Lake.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=New%20Melones%20Dam
|title=New Melones Dam
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=New Melones Unit
|date=2008-11-05
|access-date=2010-01-16
|archive-date=June 13, 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613135952/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=New%20Melones%20Dam
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> The dam functions to store water during dry periods and release it downstream into the northern San Joaquin Valley according to water demand. The dam generates 279 MW of power with a peaking capacity of 300 MW.<ref name="eastsidediv"/><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=New%20Melones%20Powerplant
|title=New Melones Powerplant
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=New Melones Unit
|date=2009-05-13
|access-date=2010-01-16
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613140008/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=New%20Melones%20Powerplant
|archive-date=2011-06-13
}}</ref>

=== Offstream storage and aqueducts ===
[[File:Wfm san luis reservoir landsat.jpg|thumb|right|Satellite photo of San Luis Reservoir and O'Neill Forebay]]
The CVP has a significant amount of facilities for storing and transporting water on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, in the foothills of the [[California Coast Ranges]]. The West San Joaquin Division and San Luis Unit consist of several major facilities that are shared with the federal [[California State Water Project]] (SWP).<ref name="sanluis">{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=San%20Luis%20Unit%20Project
|title=San Luis Unit
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=Central Valley Project
|date=2009-06-17
|access-date=2010-01-16
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112091225/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=San%20Luis%20Unit%20Project
|archive-date=November 12, 2011
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> [[San Luis Dam]] (or B.F. Sisk Dam) is the largest storage facility, holding {{convert|2000000|acre.ft|dam3}} of water.<ref name="sanluis"/><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=B%20F%20Sisk%20Dam
|title=B.F. Sisk Dam
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=San Luis Unit
|date=2009-08-31
|access-date=2010-01-16}}</ref>
Although called an offstream storage reservoir by USBR, the reservoir floods part of the San Luis Creek valley. San Luis Creek, however, is not the primary water source for the reservoir. Downstream of San Luis Reservoir is [[O'Neill Forebay]], which is intersected by the [[Delta-Mendota Canal]], a separate CVP facility.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=O`Neill%20Dam
|title=O'Neill Dam
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=San Luis Unit
|date=2009-05-28
|access-date=2010-01-16
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230050/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=O%60Neill%20Dam
|archive-date=March 3, 2016
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> Water is pumped from the canal into the Forebay<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=O%60Neill%20Powerplant
|title=O'Neill Powerplant
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=San Luis Unit
|date=2009-05-13
|access-date=2010-01-16
|archive-date=June 13, 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613140028/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Powerplant.jsp?fac_Name=O%60Neill%20Powerplant
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> and uphill into San Luis Reservoir, which functions as an additional water source during dry periods.<ref name="sanluis"/>

Water released from San Luis and O'Neill reservoirs feeds into the San Luis Canal, the federally built section of the [[California Aqueduct]], which carries both CVP and SWP water. The San Luis Canal terminates at [[Kettleman City, California|Kettleman City]], where it connects with the state-built section of the California Aqueduct. With a capacity of {{convert|13100|cuft/s|m3/s}}, it is one of the largest irrigation canals in the United States.<ref name="sanluis"/> The Coalinga Canal (operated for USBR by the [[Westlands Water District]]) branches off the San Luis Canal towards the [[Coalinga, California|Coalinga]] area. A pair of separate dams, Los Baños Detention Dam and Little Panoche Detention Dam, provide flood control in the [[Los Baños, California|Los Baños]] area.<ref name="sanluis"/>  The San Luis Drain was a separate project by USBR in an attempt to keep contaminated irrigation drainage water out of the San Joaquin River, emptying into [[Kesterson Reservoir]] where the water would evaporate or seep into the ground. Because of environmental concerns, the system was never completed.<ref name="sanluis"/>

The CVP also operates a San Felipe Division to supply water to {{convert|63500|acre}} of land in the [[Santa Clara Valley]] west of the Coast Ranges.<ref name="sanfelipe">{{cite web
|url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=San%20Felipe%20Division%20Project
|title=San Felipe Division
|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
|work=Central Valley Project
|date=2009-06-17
|access-date=2010-01-16
|archive-date=September 21, 2012
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921004217/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=San%20Felipe%20Division%20Project
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> [[San Justo Dam]] stores water diverted from San Luis Reservoir through the Pacheco Tunnel and Hollister Conduit, which travel through the [[Diablo Range]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=San%20Justo%20Dam |title=San Justo Dam |publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |work=San Felipe Unit |date=2009-05-13 |access-date=2010-01-16 |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613140053/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=San%20Justo%20Dam |url-status=dead }}</ref> A separate canal, the Santa Clara Tunnel and Conduit, carries water to the Santa Clara Valley.<ref name="sanfelipe"/>