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SACRAMENTO, Calif. - 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. The water year annually begins Oct 1. and concludes Sept. 30. 

The 2024 water year began with more than 8 million acre-feet of storage in CVP reservoirs, the result of a wet 2023-2024 winter that helped erase several years of drought. However, precipitation totals in 2024 began slowly and conditions were well below average at the time of the Feb. 1 water supply forecast.  

The water year did improve after that point, with close to average annual precipitation totals across the Sierra Nevada, but the transition from spring to summer ushered in record-setting warm weather. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, August 2024 was the Earth’s hottest August in the agency’s 175-year climate record, and the Central Valley of California felt this trend. 

The record heat and the recent experience of drought in California means Reclamation must be nimble and ready to react and respond quickly. 

“California’s unpredictable and changing climate continues to challenge us as we aim to fulfill Reclamation’s mission of providing water and power for people, the economy and the environment,” said California-Great Basin Regional Director Karl Stock. “We must continue to invest all available resources in ensuring we are prepared for the most challenging impacts of climate change.”  

Reclamation is responding with a broad portfolio of innovative investments and actions aimed at providing resilience in the face of water supply disruptions caused by extreme conditions. From improved forecasting methods to investments in aging infrastructure and additional water storage, Reclamation is taking actions to protect and improve our water supply and delivery systems. 

Comparison of Previous End-of-Year Storage in Major CVP Reservoirs (Million Acre-Feet)                                      

The CVP is the largest single source of irrigation water in California, typically supplying water to about 3 million acres of agricultural land in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. The CVP also provides urban water for millions of people and industrial water, including that essential to the San Francisco Bay Area’s economy. Water from the CVP is also vital for the environment, wildlife and fishery restoration, including providing water to 19 refuges in the Central Valley, and hydroelectric power production. 

For additional storage information, visit www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo; for additional information on the 2024 water year, visit www.usbr.gov/mp/drought.