During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the first concrete proposals for a statewide water engineering project emerged, but when the state government could not sell the necessary bonds to fund the project, the federal government took over.
The Central Valley Project, one of the largest irrigation projects in the world, was constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation beginning in 1935.
Ultimately, the system would distribute 7 million acre feet (8.6 km³) to irrigate 3 million acres (1.2 million ha) of land in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.
Construction of Shasta Dam, the principal water storage facility in the Sacramento River system, started in 1938 and was completed in 1945.
Controlling runoff from the upper 6,600 square miles (17,000 km²) of the Sacramento River watershed, Shasta greatly reduces flood peaks on the middle and lower parts of the Sacramento River.
Flood waters are stored for irrigation in dry years as well as navigation and electricity generation.
In the following decades, more huge reservoirs – capable of storing a combined 13×10⁶ acre feet (16 km³) of water – were constructed on the Sacramento's main tributaries, enabling the regulation of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power.
Starting in the late 1950s, two major canals were extended to irrigate the western side of the Sacramento Valley – the Tehama-Colusa and Corning Canals.
Starting at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam on the Sacramento, the canals are 111 mi (179 km) and 21 mi (34 km) long respectively, and divert a total of over 3,000 cubic feet per second (85 m³/s) of water to irrigate some 150,000 acres (610 km²).
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the first concrete proposals for a statewide water engineering project emerged, but when the state government could not sell the necessary bonds to fund the project, the federal government took over. The Central Valley Project, one of the largest irrigation projects in the world, was constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation beginning in 1935. Ultimately, the system would distribute 7 million acre feet (8.6 km³) to irrigate 3 million acres (1.2 million ha) of land in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. Construction of Shasta Dam, the principal water storage facility in the Sacramento River system, started in 1938 and was completed in 1945. Controlling runoff from the upper 6,600 square miles (17,000 km²) of the Sacramento River watershed, Shasta greatly reduces flood peaks on the middle and lower parts of the Sacramento River. Flood waters are stored for irrigation in dry years as well as navigation and electricity generation. In the following decades, more huge reservoirs – capable of storing a combined 13×10⁶ acre feet (16 km³) of water – were constructed on the Sacramento's main tributaries, enabling the regulation of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Starting in the late 1950s, two major canals were extended to irrigate the western side of the Sacramento Valley – the Tehama-Colusa and Corning Canals. Starting at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam on the Sacramento, the canals are 111 mi (179 km) and 21 mi (34 km) long respectively, and divert a total of over 3,000 cubic feet per second (85 m³/s) of water to irrigate some 150,000 acres (610 km²).
Sacramento River