Salinity Control

The SWP, coordinating with the federal Central Valley Project, is operated to limit salinity intrusion into the Delta and Suisun Marsh. This is accomplished by supplementing freshwater outflows to San Francisco Bay and limiting water exports from the Delta during specific times of the year. The projects are also operated to meet instream flow requirements in the Feather and Sacramento Rivers, and Delta channels.

Recreation

Project reservoirs were designed to provide a variety of recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, windsurfing, sailing, houseboating, skiing, swimming, picnicking, camping, cycling, horseback riding, and hiking. Bass tournaments are held at many SWP lakes and reservoirs, where trophy-sized fish have been caught.

The SWP offers 37 developed recreational areas and 17 fishing access sites, most along the California Aqueduct. Bicycling is also allowed along certain sections of the aqueduct.

Usage of facilities averages over 4 million recreation-days a years. The most popular SWP recreation sites are the four Southern California lakes: Pyramid Lake, Castaic Lake/Lagoon, Silverwood Lake, and Lake Perris.

Costs for recreational features were initially provided by the Davis-Dolwig Act, with later legislation offsetting SWP contractors’ expenditures for these projects. The recreational facilities themselves are operated by the State Department of Parks and Recreation or private concessionnaires.
Los Banos Reservoir offers fishing opportunities.