South-of-Delta contractors receive increase from Central Valley Project

The Bureau of Reclamation announced yesterday they are again increasing water supply allocations for the Central Valley Project for south-of-Delta agricultural contractors. While all north-of-Delta Central Valley Project contractors are currently at 100% of their supplies, south-of-Delta irrigation water service and repayment contractors are being increased from 40% to 50%.

All other Central Valley Project contract allocations remain the same per the March 27 water supply update.

“Today’s increase in allocations reinforces our commitment to achieving the objectives outlined in Executive Order 14181, which seeks to maximize water supplies within the Central Valley Project,” stated Acting California-Great Basin Regional Director Adam Nickels. “We are pleased that today’s optimization of available water supplies will continue to support California farmers and the communities we serve.”

Following the announcement, Westlands Water District General Manager Allison Febbo had this to say, “The recently announced increase to our CVP water supply allocation is welcome news. The families, farms, and communities served by Westlands Water District rely wholly on CVP water supply, which serves as lifeblood to grow food, support local jobs, and sustain the region’s economy. The increase comes as a result of plentiful storms in the Northern portion of the state, resulting in full reservoirs and high river flows. While we are grateful for the improved hydrology and the Bureau’s dedication to maximizing water supply, this year again reinforces the critical and urgent need to fix California’s broken water system and restore balance. We must do a better job of securing, storing, and managing water during relatively wet periods like these so that it’s available in dry years. We remain committed to continuing to work with state and federal partners to advance durable solutions that improve water supply for all Californians.”