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The Bureau of Reclamation recently announced an additional increase in the water supply allocation to the Friant Division contractors of their Class 1 water from 65 to 75 percent.
This allocation increase has been made possible by an agreement Reclamation negotiated with Friant Division contractors and others to exchange water from the eastside of the San Joaquin Valley into San Luis Reservoir. The new agreement aids in ensuring that Reclamation can continue to meet existing contractual requirements and commitments from the San Luis Reservoir storage and water exports from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
“I am pleased to be able to increase the Friant Class 1 allocation in conjunction with an agreement that helps shore up South-of-Delta operation. We understand the frustration many of our contractors on the west side San Joaquin Valley continue to experience,” said Reclamation Mid-Pacific Regional Director David Murillo. “I appreciate our contractors’ willingness to continue to work together to develop creative solutions to the many challenges we collectively face in this difficult year.”
Earlier this year Reclamation announced the initial 2016 Friant Division water supply allocation on April 1, 2016 was 30 percent Class 1 water supply. An additional 100,000 acre-feet of Uncontrolled Season supply was made available to avert flood control concerns and needed to be delivered by the end of April.
Subsequently the Class 1 water supply allocation was increased from 30 to 40 percent on April 11, 2016. Additional increases have occurred since then. On April 20 the water supply allocation went from 40 to 50 percent and from 50 to 65 percent on May 6, 2016.
Friant Division Class 1 water supply is generally considered the supply which can be dependably managed through storage regulation over the season and delivered at the contractor’s convenience. The Class 1 supply will continue to be reassessed at weekly intervals until further notice. This most recent allocation represents the fourth allocation increase since Reclamation’s initial allocation in early April.
Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, with operations and facilities in 17 western states. Its facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits.
