Chain of Lakes Conveyance System Project
Zone 7 Water currently relies on imported water for approximately 90% of its supply for the Tri-Valley. This water travels hundreds of miles through the fragile Delta, leaving our community vulnerable to:
- Climate Extremes: Increasing swings between severe drought and intense atmospheric rivers.
- Emergency Risks: A major earthquake could instantly sever our connection to outside water sources.
- Infrastructure Limits: Our 60-year-old state system lacks the capacity to capture today's sudden, intense storms.
The Proposed Solution:
A Local Lifeline
Zone 7 is evaluating a project to transform underutilized gravel mining pits into a sophisticated local storage network. By capturing surplus water in wet years, we can store it right here in the Tri-Valley for use when we need it most.
How it Would Work
Conveyance
A new 7-mile pipeline would connect the South Bay Aqueduct, Lake Del Valle, Del Valle Water Treatment Plant and the Chain of Lakes.
Capture
During wet years, the system would capture surplus imported water and local stormwater currently lost to downstream runoff and the lack of local storage capacity.
Storage
This water would be transported to the Chain of Lakes, where it would increase our surface storage capacity and replenish our local groundwater basin.
Distribution
When needed, this stored water would be pumped back through the new conveyance pipeline to Del Valle Water Treatment Plant for our community.