News Release Archive

Reclamation Announces Update on Systemwide Central Valley Project Water Supply Allocation

Media Contact: Jeffrey McCracken, 916-978-5100, 04/16/2007 22:26

For Release: April 16, 2007

Even with extremely dry conditions in March and Sierra snowpack less than half the April average, the Bureau of Reclamation announces that water supply allocations to the North of Delta and South of Delta Central Valley Project (CVP) agricultural contractors, municipal and industrial contractors, and Federal refuges will remain unchanged from the March water supply allocations. 

Reclamation prepared two forecasts.  Water supplies projected in the first forecast are associated with dry hydrological conditions that have a 90-percent chance of exceeding the projection.  Water supplies in the second forecast are for median hydrological conditions that have a 50-percent chance of exceeding the projection.  Current allocations are listed below:

Mid-Pacific Region
Water Year 2007 Water Allocation
 April 16, 2007

 

North of Delta
(percentages of contracted water allocated)

South of Delta
(percentages of contracted water allocated)

Percent of Historical Average
Sacramento Valley Index and Year Type

Ag

M&I*

R

WR

Ag

M&I*

R

WR

Dry Forecast

71%
Dry

100

100

100

100

50

75

100

100

Median Forecast

74%
Dry

100

100

100

100

50

75

100

100

Recent Historic Average
(5-Year Average Allocation)

100

100

100

100

80

98

100

100
Ag = Agriculture     M&I = Municipal and Industrial     R = Refuges     WR = Water Rights
*M&I supply is based on historical use

The water supply available for the CVP Eastside Division contractors (Stanislaus River) for the Dry and Median Forecasts is projected to be 45,000 acre-feet (29 percent) and 50,000 acre-feet (32percent), respectively.

The Friant Division deliveries for Water Year (WY) 2007 are projected to be 400,000 acre-feet or 32 percent of
1.25 million acre-feet, which is the Recent 5-Year Average Allocation. 

The allocation for the Friant Division Contractors will remain at 50 percent Class 1 water and 0 percent Class 2 water.  The projected Friant Division delivery of 400,000 acre-feet is based on Department of Water Resources’s 90-percent probability of exceedence forecast dated March 13, 2007.  As of March 15, 2007, precipitation in the San Joaquin River Basin was 17.61 inches for the WY compared to 38.66 inches this time last year. 

Reclamation will continue to monitor hydrologic conditions and anticipates updating the CVP-wide allocation in mid-May 2007.

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