California-Great Basin

Friant-Kern Canal Middle Reach Capacity Correction Project

The Friant-Kern Canal delivers water to more than 1 million acres of highly productive farmland and 250,000 residents in San Joaquin Valley. Subsidence in the area has caused parts of the 152-mile canal to sink. The Middle Reach Capacity Correction Project will restore capacity in a 33-mile stretch of the canal that has been most impacted. The canal capacity in this reach will be restored from the current estimated 1,600 cubic-feet-per-second to the original 4,000 cubic-feet-per-second.

Phase 1 of the multi-phased construction project began in January 2022. The first phase includes constructing 10 miles of new concrete-lined canal to replace one of the worst pinch points of the canal’s subsiding middle reach. The project is funded by Reclamation, Friant Water Authority, and DWR. Phase 1 was largely completed in early Spring of 2024. The next phase of the project will move forward with the completion of the pending project study and subsequent signing of a Record of Decision.

• Fact Sheet
• Record of Decision
• Final Environmental Impact Report
• Draft Environmental Impact Report

News Releases

• Groundbreaking ceremony kicks off construction project to repair Friant-Kern Canal 01/25/22
• Reclamation awards construction contract for first phase of Friant Kern Canal repairs 10/07/21
• Trump Administration greenlights Friant-Kern Canal repair 11/04/20
• Trump Administration Continues Developing and Delivering More Water Supplies in California 09/18/20

Feasibility Report

• Appendix A: Initial-Alts-Form
• Appendix B: Feas-Alt-Eng-Des-Costs
• Appendix C: Econ-Eval
• Appendix D: Rec-Plan-Eng-Cost-Sum-Report