​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Delta Tunnel

What Is The Delta Tunnel?

  • ​Delta Tunnel Impacts Ma​p​​

    The Delta Tunnel project is the latest version of a massive water infrastructure project that would divert water from the Sacramento River at Hood and Courtland, and put it in a 40+ mile tunnel 40 feet access to be exported to State Water Project contractors. Could also be used for wheeling Central Valley Project water.

Other names:

  • Peripheral Canal (1940's to 1982)
  • Bay Delta ​Conservation Plan (2008-2014)
  • ​California​s Water ​Fix (2015-2019)
  • Delta Conveyance (current)
​Why Is The Tunnel So Damaging?

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It takes water out at ​the top of the delta, so less fresh water goes through the delta.
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Conveyance of Previously Stored Water with Proposed Project

  • Primarily in the summer, previously stored water in the Oroville is released as inflow into the Delta
  • Some of the ​flow passes through cross channels to the central and south Delta export locations and some would be diverted through the tunnel
  • This alternative path to the exports would lessen the saline ocean water entering into the Delta interior and lessen the need for additional water for Delta outflow
Map showing current flow of Delta and how tunnel will divert water
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It's magnitude, Construction, and the Cost
Map showing different proposed routes of the tunnels by California Department of Water Resources Routes For The Tunnel Being Considered By The CA Department Of Water Resource​

Project would​ include:
  • Two 3,000 cubic feet per second intakes at Hood and Courtland (each almost 1 mile long)
  • 40+ miles of 40’ in diameter tunnel buried 150 feet down with shafts
  • Southern Complex Facilities: Pump Station, Forebay
  • 14 years of construction
  • Heavy truck trips on I-5 and local roads (200,000+ truck trips)
Project does not include:
  • Any local benefits (e.g., water supplies)
​Cost: $16 billion +
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Massive Visual and Aesthetic Impacts on the Sacramento River at Hood and Courtland
​Existing and Simulated Views of Intake 2 East from South River Road. ​Each screen is over 1,300 feet long - almost 4 football fieldsImage showing Existing and Simulated Views of Intake 2 East from South River Road. ​Each screen is over 1,300 feet long
Years of construction traffic on narrow local roads
​Intake 3 Site Access Routes​
Map of Intake 3 Site Access Routes​
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Tunnel Construction

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Tunnel Construction
The Delta Conveyance Project Permitting and Review Status is Nowhere Near Done​
- 2023 DCP Permitting Status Chart.pdf

Tunnel Construction
Iname of a tunnel being constructed

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