Cadiz taps Stantec to lead engineering for $800 million Mojave Groundwater Bank

(UI) — Cadiz Inc. has selected Stantec Inc. to oversee the development and construction of the Mojave Groundwater Bank, an $800 million project aimed at expanding water storage and supply in California’s Mojave Desert.

Once completed, the project will provide 2.5 million acre-feet of new water supply and 1 million acre-feet of underground storage. A 350-mile pipeline network will connect the system to the Colorado River and California Aqueducts, making it the largest new water infrastructure project in the Southwest.

"Stantec is unmatched in the engineering industry for its expertise in water supply infrastructure and has been our trusted partner for nearly 20 years," said Susan Kennedy, CEO & Chair of Cadiz Inc. "We are very pleased to select Stantec to oversee design, development and construction as we move into this critical phase in bringing the Mojave Groundwater Bank online."

As Owner’s Engineer, Stantec will help select a contractor under a Construction Management at Risk model and lead the engineering, procurement, and construction management process.

"Water supply variability resulting from climate change threatens long-term water security throughout the Western U.S., and the water delivery system must be updated and expanded to safely and reliably meet the needs of our communities," said John Hanula, senior vice president at Stantec. "Stantec has decades of experience working with utilities throughout California and the West. We understand the complexities of bringing new infrastructure online, and we are honored to be part of the innovative Mojave Groundwater Bank."

Located about 40 miles north of the Colorado River Aqueduct and 220 miles east of California’s State Water Project facilities, the Mojave Groundwater Bank sits on an underground aquifer system holding an estimated 30 to 50 million acre-feet of water—more than what’s currently stored in Lake Mead and Lake Powell combined.

The project is permitted to deliver water to communities in the Mojave River Basin, Colorado River Basin, and California’s Inland Empire. It will also store up to 1 million acre-feet of imported water, easing pressure on the State Water Project and Colorado River systems.

In late 2024, Cadiz partnered with Native American Tribes to construct, own, and operate the project. The agreement marks the first large-scale water infrastructure collaboration of its kind off tribal lands in U.S. history.

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