From Escalon Times – California.com – On Friday, Oct. 20 the Department of the Interior and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority approved plans to implement the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project. The joint project will create an additional 130,000 acre-feet of storage space in San Luis Reservoir, the nation’s largest offstream reservoir, producing additional water supply for two million people, over one million acres of farmland and 135,000 acres of Pacific Flyway wetlands and critical wildlife habitat. Friday’s signing of the Record of Decision and Notice of Determination is the first approval of a major water storage project in California since 2011.  Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years for water infrastructure projects, including water storage and conveyance, dam safety, water purification and reuse, and desalination. A $25 million investment to the project under the Law was announced in October 2022 and an additional $10 million in July 2023. An additional $60 million was authorized for project construction from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, for a total of $95 million in federal contributions to date in construction costs. (more)