California Water News Daily Your Source For Water News in California
South-of-Delta Central Valley Project contractor allocations for the 2018 contract year have been updated by the Bureau of Reclamation. South-of-Delta agricultural water service contractors’ allocations have been increased from 40 percent to 45 percent. The allocation for South-of-Delta municipal and industrial contractors remains at the greater of 75 percent of their historic use or public health and safety needs.
“This allocation update takes into account the information from the California Department of Water Resources May forecasts as well as continued refinement of our estimates of the capabilities of our system given current conditions,” said Mid-Pacific Regional Director David Murillo. “In addition, we have more certainty today regarding our ability to manage temperature in the Sacramento River and meet other regulatory requirements throughout the system, though adjustments may still need to be made. We urge our contractors to continue to exercise conservative use of the resource.”
Reclamation plans to limit the overall amount of water in San Luis Reservoir that is rescheduled at the end of the contract year into the 2019 contract year. Reclamation has indicated that they intend to work with South-of-Delta contractors and others on those plans and they will continue to refine end-of-year rescheduling concepts and implementation. These plans – now and as Reclamation works other South-of-Delta parties – are to promote the effective use of supplies in San Luis Reservoir this year and efficiency for next year’s operations.
The Friant Division’s uncontrolled season was terminated May 10 and allowed Reclamation to make Class 2 deliveries. On May 11, Reclamation confirmed with contractors in the Friant Division that the remaining residual Class 1 water supply available was 85 percent.
As with all allocations Reclamation will continue to adjusted and update allocations based on the refinement of hydrologic analyses, monitoring and other operational factors throughout the water year. Reclamation’s water supply allocations, updates and other pertinent information are posted at: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvp-water/index.html.
