May 19, 2020

Reclamation Updates CVP Water Allocations

Following April precipitation showing a sizeable water supply improvement for the American River watershed, the Bureau of Reclamation has announced updated allocations for Central Valley Project contractors:

  • The allocation for south-of-Delta agricultural water service contractors increased from 15% to 20%.
  • The allocation for south-of-Delta municipal and industrial water service contractors increased from 65% to 70% (or health and safety needs, whichever is greater).

These allocation adjustments address releases from Folsom Dam during the summer and have no effect on Reclamation’s ability to comply with the court order dated May 11, 2020 in PCFFA v. Ross and CNRA v. Ross.

Additionally, based on improved hydrologic conditions and the forecasted snowmelt runoff in the Upper San Joaquin River Basin, Friant Division:

  • Class 1 allocations (the first 800,000 acre-feet of available water supply) increased from 55% to 60%
  • Class 2 allocations (the next amount of available water supply up to 1.4 million acre-feet) remains at 0%.

According to Reclamation, as the water year progresses, changes in hydrology and opportunities to deliver additional water will influence future allocations.

Water supply updates are posted at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvp-water/index.html.