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DWR Increases Water Allocation SACRAMENTO – Late season storms have allowed the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to increase its final 2010 State Water Project allocation to 45 percent of requested amounts. “While the increase in deliveries is good news,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin, “we will continue to have a water supply crisis until we improve our conveyance system, increase storage and resolve the complex environmental problems of the Delta.” State Water Project (SWP) delivery remains limited due to low reservoir storage after three dry years and restrictions on Delta pumping to protect native fish species. The 45 percent allocation, although a dramatic increase from the 5 percent originally estimated for this year, will still leave many communities, farms and businesses with limited alternative supplies. Lake Oroville in Butte County, the SWP’s principal supply reservoir, is still at only 68 percent of capacity despite major spring snowstorms. And fishery agency restrictions on Delta pumping to protect salmon, Delta smelt and other species continue to ratchet down water deliveries to the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Central Coast and Southern California. DWR estimates that fishery restrictions this year will reduce deliveries by 600,000 acre-feet. In 2009, DWR delivered 40 percent of the amount requested by the 29 public agencies with long-term contracts to receive SWP water. Those contractors deliver water to more than 25 million Californians and approximately 750,000 acres of irrigated farm land. The average SWP allocation over the past 10 years is 68 percent of contractor requests. DWR will continue to urge all California’s to conserve water this summer both indoors and outdoors. DWR is partnering with the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) on the “Save Our Water” program to promote conservation statewide as a long-term behavior change. The program website is www.saveourh2o.org. |
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