Winter Storms Ease Water Woes
Sacramento, CA — Even as California enters into the fourth year of a drought, more water will be allowed to flow in the state due to the wet December.
Today, state water officials released the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) Drought Contingency Plan for January 15, 2015 – September 30, 2015. 25 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland are served by the SWP alone. The plan will allow for 15% of the water requested from the state’s reservoir system, which is the second lowest distribution rate on record, to flow to local agencies and farms. Last year, only 5% of the need was met.
Additionally, the reports states, “Given the severely depleted storage at New Melones Lake, minimum flows will be maintained as much as possible. The requested modifications to objectives on the lower San Joaquin River at Vernalis are intended to conserve water in New Melones Lake to help balance the competing needs of the Stanislaus River and conditions on the lower San Joaquin River.”
View the full report here Central Valley Project and State Water Project Drought Contingency Plan for January 15, 2015 – September 30, 2015.
