No matter how bad, some dam proposals refuse to die. When it’s a dry year, or money to subsidize infrastructure appears, or political winds shift, old ideas for massive new water storage projects rise from the grave and threaten California’s rivers again. Friends of the River is working to stop these destructive and expensive projects—and protect the rivers, communities, and wildlife they endanger.
Shasta Dam Raise
The federal government wants to make the already gigantic Shasta Dam even larger—flooding more of the protected McCloud River and sacred tribal sites. The project would cost billions, deliver very little new water, and violate California’s Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.
Sites Reservoir
The proposed Sites Reservoir would pump Sacramento River water into the Antelope Valley. Despite a price tag nearing $7 billion, it would deliver little water while flooding wildlife habitat, harming fish, destroying Tribal lands, and reducing freshwater flow into the Bay-Delta ecosystem.
Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir
This proposed billion-dollar dam in Del Puerto Canyon would flood more than 800 acres of unique Central Coast Range habitat used by rare and protected wildlife including the Golden Eagle, California Condor, and San Joaquin Kit Fox. It would also flood unique geological features, cultural sites, and recreational sites that the local community depends on for outdoor access.
Dam Graveyard
Some dam proposals fall—but they don’t always stay down. The Dam Graveyard tracks projects that have stalled, been defeated, or slipped into dormancy after proving too destructive, illegal, or expensive to build.