News Release Archive

Reclamation Notifies Water Rights Settlement Contractors, San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, and Mendota Pool Contractors of Reduced Water Supply Allocation

Media Contact: Jeffrey McCracken, 916-978-5100, jmccracken@mp.usbr.gov

For Release: February 15, 2007

The Bureau of Reclamation today notified Central Valley Project (CVP) Water Rights Settlement Contractors that their water supply allocation is reduced by 25 percent.  The conservative February 1, 2007, forecast prepared by the California Department of Water Resources (90-percent chance of having runoff greater than the forecasted value) indicates that the inflow to Shasta Reservoir for 2007 would be 3.1 million acre-feet.  Reclamation uses this forecast to plan operations and allocate water.  Under this dry condition, the water supply to the Water Rights Settlement Contractors is reduced to 75 percent of the contractual amount.  This includes water delivered to the Water Rights Settlement Contractors in the Sacramento Valley, the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, and contractors receiving water from the Mendota Pool. 

The February 1 forecasted inflow to Shasta Reservoir is significantly less than the quantity forecasted in early January.  The dramatic reduction is a result of extremely dry conditions experienced in Northern California for the past month.  Currently, the snowpack in northern California is less than 50 percent of average for this date and only one-third of the amount that we would normally expect to see by April 1.  However, CVP reservoir storage is near-normal for this time of year, and we have a few months remaining this winter and spring to allow for recovery.  Reclamation will review and update this water supply allocation monthly or more frequently as conditions warrant. 

This announcement does not address the water supply allocation for the remaining CVP water supply users.  The water supply allocation for CVP irrigation, municipal and industrial, and refuge water will be announced by Friday, February 23, 2007.  In the coming months, monthly forecast updates will be posted on the Central Valley Operations Website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo/.

# # #

The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.