News Release Archive

Central Valley Project Begins Water Year 2013 with 6.9 Million Acre-Feet of Storage (98 Percent of the 15-Year Average)

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, MP Region Public Affairs Officer, 916-978-5100, 10/04/2012 14:16

For Release: October 04, 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project began Water Year 2013 (Oct. 1, 2012 – Sept. 30, 2013) with approximately 6.9 million acre-feet of water (98 percent of the 15-year average on Oct. 1) in six key CVP reservoirs.

The total reservoir storage is the combined amount of water remaining at the end of WY 2012 in Shasta, Trinity, Folsom, New Melones and Millerton Reservoirs and the federal share of the joint federal/state San Luis Reservoir. The 15-year average carry-over for these reservoirs on Oct. 1 is 7.0 million acre-feet of storage. One acre-foot is the volume of water sufficient to cover an acre of land to a depth of 1 foot, enough water to sustain a typical California household of four for one year.

Two tables follow, one showing reservoir capacities and end-of-year storage comparisons for WY 2012 and 2011 for key CVP reservoirs and one comparing end-of-year storage for 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 1977 (the driest year).

Comparison of Previous End-of-Year Storage
Million Acre-feet
2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	1977 (Driest Year)
6.9	9.3	7.4	4.8	4.1	1.5

Precipitation in WY 2012 was about 83 percent of the historic seasonal average or 41.6 inches as measured at eight key locations in Northern California from the Upper Sacramento River watershed near Shasta, Calif., to the American River watershed near Blue Canyon, Calif. (California Department of Water Resources’ Northern Sierra Nevada 8-Station Index). For the Friant Division, the precipitation total for the Huntington Lake station was 24.89 inches or 57 percent of the historic seasonal average.

During WY 2012, CVP powerplants generated about 4.8 billion kilowatt-hours. Project use consumed about   25 percent of this energy. The remaining energy was made available for marketing. The Mid-Pacific Region’s hydroelectric generators have a combined capacity of approximately 2.1 million kilowatts.

As WY 2013 gets under way, Reclamation will continue to monitor and evaluate hydrologic conditions as they develop. The initial forecast of CVP water supply allocations for the contract year (which begins March 1) will be made in late February. The allocation will be adjusted monthly or more often if warranted, to reflect the updated snowpack and runoff. The current allocations and other background information are available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/pa/water.

For additional information on the end-of-year storage for specific reservoirs or for general information about Reclamation programs, please visit http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo or contact the Public Affairs Office at 916-978-5100 (TTY 916-978-5608) or email mppublicaffairs@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.

Relevant Link:

Water Allocation

CVO