North of The Delta Offstream Storage (NODOS), Shasta, California

Project Title and Location: North of the Delta Offstream Storage (NODOS), Shasta, California
Project Owner: US Bureau of Reclamation, Mid Pacific Region, Sacramento, California
Performance Period and Duration: 2011
Project Role: Subcontractor to URS Corporation
Scope and Complexity:

The North of the Delta Offstream Storage (NODOS) investigation is co-sponsored by US Bureau of Reclamation and California Department of Water Resources. This investigation evaluates the feasibility of offstream storage in the northern Sacramento Valley for improved water supply and water supply reliability, improved water quality, and enhanced survival of anadromous fish and other aquatic species in the Primary Study Area and Extended Study Area. The purpose for the NODOS is to improve operational flexibility for water supply and hydropower by providing a new large integrated and efficient surface storage in an environmentally compatible manner. It is intended for the project to contribute to improved water quality, increased populations of anadromous fish and other aquatic species, and provide water for emergency releases in the event of a catastrophic failure of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers Delta (Delta) levee system.

Three alternatives and the no action alternative were selected for further analysis of NODOS. Under the No Action/No Project Alternative, no actions would be taken to provide storage north-of-the-Delta to improve water supply reliability, or to enhance the survivability of anadromous fish and drinking water quality in the Delta. The three action alternatives include variable size reservoirs, and variations in conveyance and diversion rates from the existing Tehama-Colusa and Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District canals and the Sacramento River.

Veridico’s scope includes evaluation and review of hydrologic conditions and modeling results, and the development of various water supply management alternatives that are considered in the feasibility report prepared by URS Corporation.