The CVP was authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935 and was constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project consists of a network of dams, reservoirs, canals, and pumping plants that deliver water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farms, cities, and businesses in the Central Valley.
The CVP also provides flood control benefits and generates hydroelectric power. The CVP is an important part of California's water infrastructure and is essential to the state's economy.