News Release Archive

Increased Releases To Meet Water Quality Standards Result In Higher Than Normal River Flows

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

For Release: April 02, 2004

The Bureau of Reclamation and California Department of Water Resources are coordinating significant increased releases from both the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the State Water Project (SWP) reservoirs beginning today, Friday, April 2, 2004. Changes are being coordinated to meet Delta water quality standards, known as the Roe Island X2 standards. Please be advised of changing and higher than normal seasonal water flows on the Sacramento, Feather, and American Rivers through approximately Thursday, April 15, 2004.

The CVP and SWP operators are coordinating significant changes to Sacramento Valley reservoir releases and export operations. The CVP and SWP operators have projected that in order to meet April’s water quality standards, a coordinated action of increased releases on the Sacramento, Feather, and American Rivers, as well as reduced exports at both the Tracy Pumping Plant and Banks Pumping Plant export facilities, is required.

Releases from Keswick Dam on the upper Sacramento River are anticipated to be as high as 15,000 cfs. Releases from Nimbus Dam on the Lower American River are anticipated to be as high as 8,000 cfs. Releases from Thermalito Dam on the Feather River are anticipated to be as high as 13,000 cfs. Export operations in the Delta at the Federal and State export facilities are anticipated to be reduced from the current combined 9,000 cfs to as low as 2,000 cfs combined to meet the water quality standards.

Project operators will continually monitor this coordinated operation and adjust reservoir releases and/or exports as required to meet the water quality standards. For additional information, please contact Mr. Paul Fujitani at 916-979-2197 or via e-mail at pfujitani@mp.usbr.gov.

# # #

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.