News Release Archive

Reclamation Announces the Availability of Section 215 Water for Friant Division Water Service Contractors

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, 016-978-5100, plucero@usbr.gov

For Release: March 21, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation has determined that recent rainfall and storage conditions in Millerton Reservoir make non-storable (Section 215) water available. Section 215 water is expected to be available through May 2011; however, the amount of water will depend on actual hydrologic and operational conditions in the Upper San Joaquin River watershed over the next few months.

Currently, precipitation in the Upper San Joaquin River watershed at the Huntington Lake gaging station is about 146 percent of the seasonal average. Rainfall over the past few weeks has caused Millerton Reservoir to rise to flood-control levels that make additional releases necessary in order to avoid flood pool encroachment at Millerton Reservoir in accordance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' flood-control criteria; therefore, Reclamation is declaring the availability of Section 215 water for those Friant Division repayment and long-term water service contractors that enter into a "Temporary Water Service Contract for Surplus Water" with Reclamation.

Section 215 refers to a section in the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (Public Law 97-293) which defines temporary water supplies that are unusually large and not storable for project purposes and, among other measures, allows non-storable water to be applied to lands otherwise ineligible to receive federal water. Contractors must use all water that was approved for rescheduling from Water Year 2010 prior to taking delivery of Section 215 water.

The availability of this water is a separate action unrelated to the initial CVP water supply allocation announcement made on February 18, 2011.

For additional information, please contact Rena Ballew, South-Central California Area Office, at 559-487-5116 (TTY 559-487-5933) or e-mail RBallew@usbr.gov.

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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.