Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District is currently participating in the Sites Reservoir Project, a planned off-stream reservoir in Northern California. The Sites Project Authority is pursuing a water right permit from the State Water Resources Control Board, which will provide them legal authority to divert water within certain conditions, for a specific purpose, and for use within a specified area. The Sites Project Authority will be the State designated steward of the water right for the Sites Reservoir Project. Information on the Sites Reservoir Project’s water right application can be found here: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/applications/notices/. Additional information on the Sites Reservoir Project can be found here: www.sitesproject.org.
Golden Mussel Monitoring and Mitigation
The Golden Mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) is a newly introduced invasive species in California that poses a significant threat to water infrastructure throughout the State Water Project and connected conveyance systems. Left unmanaged, these mussels can colonize canals, pipelines, and pumping facilities, potentially restricting water deliveries, reducing operational efficiency, and increasing maintenance costs.
WRMWSD has taken a proactive approach to addressing this threat through a comprehensive monitoring, inspection, and treatment program. District staff have installed biofouling monitoring plates at pumping plants along the California Aqueduct and 850 Canal to track mussel colonization and growth. Pumping plant infrastructure, pipelines, stand tanks, and high-pressure tanks are also dewatered and inspected annually during winter maintenance.
The District is currently treating the 850 Canal with EarthTec QZ, a product containing copper sulfate pentahydrate as its active ingredient. According to the EarthTec QZ product label, the product is NSF-certified to ANSI Standard 60 for use in drinking water applications up to a Maximum Use Level of 19 milligrams per liter, or approximately 19 parts per million.
Initial treatment began in late April 2026 and targeted a copper concentration of approximately 0.50 parts per million for 30 days. Following completion of this initial phase, treatment transitioned to Phase 2, which consists of continuous treatment through October 2026 at a reduced copper concentration of approximately 0.15 to 0.30 parts per million.
The District remains committed to protecting the reliability of its water delivery system while minimizing impacts to landowners. If you discover Golden Mussels within your own infrastructure or observe them anywhere in the District’s distribution system, please notify District staff as soon as possible.