Drought | California-Great Basin, Region 10

October

The water year begins October 1 each year and ends September 30. California’s 2025 water year begins with relatively good conditions in major Central Valley Project reservoirs, with 7.43 million acre-feet of water in storage, about 120% of the 15-year average. Shasta, the anchor of the CVP and California’s largest reservoir, is at a robust 2.78 million acre-feet of water, 113% of the 15-year average.

Nov. 4 - The California Department of Water Resources receives a new Incidental Take Permit to operate the State Water Project. The permit covers five species protected under the California Endangered Species Act, including Delta smelt, longfin smelt, white sturgeon, winter-run Chinook salmon and spring-run Chinook salmon.
Nov. 15 - Reclamation releases the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project, which analyzes five alternatives reflecting a reasonable range of options for the operation of dams, powerplants, and related facilities of the Central Valley Project and Delta facilities of the State Water Project.

Dec. 2 – The California Department of Water Resources announces its initial State Water Project allocation forecast of 5 percent of requested supplies for 2025. The December initial water supply forecast is the first allocation of the new water year and is based on current reservoir storage and conservative assumptions for precipitation to come.
Dec. 20 - Reclamation approves new plan for the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and Delta facilities of the State Water Project.
Dec. 23 – The California Department of Water Resources increases the State Water Project contract allocation to 15% of requested supplies.

Jan. 2 – The Department of Water Resources' first snow survey of the season at Phillips Station records 24 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 9 inches, which is 91 percent of average for this location. Statewide, the snowpack is 108 percent of average for this date.
Jan. 20 – A presidential memorandum directs the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to immediately restart work from the first Trump administration by the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation and other agencies to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state.
Jan. 24 – A presidential executive order calls on Reclamation to operate the Central Valley Project to deliver more water and produce additional hydropower, including by increasing storage and conveyance, and jointly operating federal and state facilities, to high-need communities, notwithstanding any contrary state or local laws.
Jan. 28 – The California Department of Water Resources increases the State Water Project contract allocation to 20% of requested supplies.
Jan. 31 – The California Department of Water Resources’ second snow survey at Phillips Station records 22.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent off 8 inches -- 46% of average for the location. Statewide, the snowpack is 65 percent of average for this date.

Feb. 25 – Reclamation announces initial 2025 water supply allocations for Central Valley Project water users.
- Agricultural water service contractors – north-of-Delta - 100%; south-of -Delta - 35%.
- Sacramento River Settlement Contractors and San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors – 100%, based on the 2025 water year’s determination as non-critical, as defined in their settlement contracts.
- Friant Division – 45% of Class 1 and 0% of Class 2.
- Wildlife Refuges – 100% of contract supply for refuges (Level 2), both north- and south-of-Delta.
Feb. 25 – The Department of Water Resources increases its State Water Project allocation to 35% of requested water supplies, based on increases in precipitation, snowpack, and reservoir storage.
Feb. 28 – The Department of Water Resources' third snow survey at Phillips Station records 34 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 13.5 inches, which is 58 percent of average for the location. Statewide, the snowpack is 85 percent of average for this date.

March 14 - Reclamation increases the Central Valley Project allocation for Friant Division Class 1 contractors from 45% to 80%.