California State Water Project
Quick Summary
The California State Water Project is a vast system designed to move water from wetter northern California to arid southern regions. Its principal structure is the California Aqueduct, one of the world's largest aqueduct systems. This aqueduct transports water approximately 1,135 km (705 miles), delivering over 2.5 billion liters (650 million gallons) daily to serve about 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.1
The project begins in the Sacramento River delta and runs south through the San Joaquin Valley. A critical point is the Tehachapi Mountains, where water is lifted 587 meters (1,926 feet) by the Edmonston Pumping Plant, the highest single-lift pumping plant globally. Beyond this, the aqueduct branches out to serve areas as far south as the Mexican border. The system includes numerous pumping stations, hydroelectric plants, dams, and flow-control structures.12
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