News Release Archive

Central Valley Project Carries Over 7.5 Million Acre Feet Into Next Water Year

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

For Release: October 01, 2003

The Federal Central Valley Project (CVP) carried over approximately 7.5 million acre-feet of water into the new water year, approximately 1.1 million acre-feet more than last year. Reclamation's water year runs from October 1 to September 30. The 15-year carry-over average is 6.0 million acre-feet. Carry-over storage is the combined amount of water remaining at the end of the water year in Shasta, Trinity, Whiskeytown, Folsom, and New Melones Reservoirs, and the Federal share of the joint Federal/State San Luis Reservoir.

The total Water Year 2003 deliveries for the CVP are estimated at 5.0 million acre-feet. Historically, the CVP supplies about 6 million acre-feet for agriculture, cities, and the environment. Reservoir releases throughout the summer were made to meet downstream and fishery flow management objectives and project demands. The Friant Division deliveries for Water Year 2003 are projected to be 1,250,000 acre-feet or 83 percent of the historic water supply of 1.5 million acre-feet. The allocation for Friant Division contractors will be 100 percent of Class 1 and 31 percent of Class 2 water. The precipitation total for the San Joaquin River watershed was 42.32 inches.

As the new water year gets under way, Reclamation will be monitoring and evaluating hydrologic conditions for the coming flood season. All major reservoirs will meet the prescribed flood control objectives for the beginning of the 2003-2004 flood season. The first official projection of available CVP water supplies for the coming water year will be made in early 2004.

During Water Year 2003, CVP powerplants have generated about 5.1 billion kilowatt-hours, enough power to run 375,000 homes for a year. Project use consumes about 30 percent of this energy. The remaining energy was made available for marketing. Mid Pacific generators have a combined capacity of approximately 2.1 million kilowatts.

For information on end-of-year storage or specific reservoirs, or for general information about Reclamation programs, please call the Public Affairs Office at 916-978-5100, TDD 916-978-5608. You may also call Reclamation's Grapevine at 1-800-742-9474 and enter 1 for a menu of CVP daily storage information.

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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.