Oroville Dam Photo Credits AP Photo / Noah Berger
Last month, the California Department of Natural Resources announced that the state would receive 100% water allocation for the first time since 2006, meaning that communities and farmers under the State Water Project would receive all of its water requests for the year. This is up from the Department of Water Resources 75% allocation to the State Water Project in March 2023 and the 35% allocation announced in February 2023.
Additionally, the federal Bureau of Reclamation announced a 100% allocation for the Central Valley Water Project for the first time since 2017.
Governor Gavin Newsom issued a press release detailing the allocation and "what the Newsom Administration, in partnership with the Legislature, has also done..."
“California is taking action to maximize the capture and storage of water from recent storms and snowpack, increasing water deliveries to 100% for the first time in nearly two decades,” said Governor Newsom. “California is moving and storing as much water as possible to meet the state’s needs, reduce the risk of flooding, and protect our communities, agriculture, and the environment.”
The National Weather Service has forecasted spring inflow to be 90% of the average in several waterways in California - with the Tulare Lake Basin in the Central Valley expected to overflow. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 68% of California is no longer experiencing drought conditions.
Comments