Sacramento region reaches new long-term agreement to balance water use and future growth

The debate over Sacramento's water has been going on for decades. From farming to urban uses, it's a natural resource that is in high demand, especially during droughts.

On Monday night, a celebration was held to announce that a new signed agreement in place to make sure there's enough water in the future.

Ashlee Casey with the Sacramento Water Forum said that opposing groups including environmentalists, developers, farmers and cities have all reached an agreement on how to best use water that's released from Folsom Dam and flows down the American River.

"The goal of the agreement is to balance those things so that it is equitable, that people have what they need and the environment has what it needs," Casey said.

The partnership helps prepare for future droughts.

"We see increased temperatures, lower flows, warmer water, less water," Casey said.

Water usage is outlined in a 334-page document that will guide the region over the next 25 years.

For fish, it helps provide cooler water during the spawning seasons. That could include modifying Folsom Dam to divert water going into the power plant, which could reduce electrical output.

"There are some sacrifices that one makes to be nice to your fellow creatures on the planet," said Ron Stork with Friends of the River.

For homebuilders, it creates more certainty over future water supplies.

"It looks to find ways to develop the infrastructure that will be needed to support future growth and development to meet the demands for housing and economic development," said Tim Murphy, president and CEO of the Northstate Building Association.

Other ideas include using excess river runoff during strong storms to refill groundwater storage basins and using treated sewage water for farming.

It's an effort to make sure there's enough supply in the future when people turn on the tap.

"I wouldn't say it creates any new water," Casey said. "That's not the reality we're facing with climate change, but it's to look at what we have and how to balance those things.

Some of these projects could cost millions of dollars. The water forum's now working on getting grants and federal funding to help offset the costs.