The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP, is a state water management project in the U.S. state of California under the supervision of the California Department of Water Resources. The SWP is one of the largest public water and power utilities in the world, providing drinking water for more than 27 million people and generating an average of 6,500 GWh of hydroelectricity annually. However, as it is the largest single consumer of power in the state itself, it has a net usage of 5,100 GWh.
Oroville Dam and Lake Oroville on the Feather River
In May 2021, water levels of Lake Oroville dropped significantly, exposing much of the banks as California headed into another drought year. The Edward Hyatt Power Plant was forced to shut down due to low water levels later in the summer.
San Luis Reservoir in July 2021
Dos Amigos Pumping Plant on the California Aqueduct
Central Valley (California)
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The Central Valley is a broad, elongated, flat valley that dominates the interior of California. It is 40–60 mi (60–100 km) wide and runs approximately 450 mi (720 km) from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and parallel to the Pacific coast of the state. It covers approximately 18,000 sq mi (47,000 km2), about 11% of California's land area. The valley is bounded by the Coast Ranges to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east.
Farmland of the Central Valley as seen from the air
The Central Valley from the air, looking south from near Rio Vista, CA.
The valley as seen from Interstate 5, looking south near Derrick Avenue in Fresno County
An example of the differences between the geology of the valley floor and that of the rugged hills of the Coast Ranges (Between Tracy and Patterson, CA:Interstate 5)