Bureau and DWR Boost Allocations by ACWA Staff Apr 30, 2025 Water News SACRAMENTO – The Department of Water Resources and Bureau of Reclamation this week increased allocations from 40% to 50% for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, respectively. The Bureau’s boost to CVP allocations applies to south-of-Delta agricultural contractors, with north-of-Delta contractors already at 100% of their supplies, according to a Bureau news release. “Today’s increase in allocations reinforces our commitment to achieving the objectives outlined in Executive Order 14181, which seeks to maximize water supplies within the Central Valley Project,” stated Acting California-Great Basin Regional Director Adam Nickels in the news release. “We are pleased that today’s optimization of available water supplies will continue to support California farmers and the communities we serve.” The further increase on top of those announced in March came as welcome news to Westlands Water District, which issued a statement from General Manager Allison Febbo. “While we are grateful for the improved hydrology and the Bureau’s dedication to maximizing water supply, this year again reinforces the critical and urgent need to fix California’s broken water system and restore balance,” Febbo stated in a news release. “We must do a better job of securing, storing, and managing water during relatively wet periods like these so that it’s available in dry years.” DWR tied the timing of its increased allocation to the seasonal snowmelt flowing into California reservoirs in its news release. Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is 120% of average for this date and 95% full. DWR anticipates that Lake Oroville could reach capacity this spring, which would mark the third straight year the reservoir has filled. “This winter, water managers were able to navigate extreme swings between wet and dry conditions thanks in part to new operating permits that allow increased flexibility in operations to move water into storage while protecting endangered species,” stated DWR Director Karla Nemeth in DWR’s news release. “Our full reservoirs will allow us to help meet the needs of the State Water Project contractors and their customers this year as well as provide some water supply next year in the event that dry conditions return.” The State Water Contractors distributed a news release highlighting that California’s reservoirs are nearing capacity, to the point that Lake Oroville is planned to spill, and DWR’s most recent snow survey measured statewide snowpack at 90% of average. “Despite that, Delta exports have been running at less than half capacity while the State Water Contractors continue to pay for 100% of the system’s operation and maintenance,” stated State Water Contractors General Manager Jennifer Pierre in the news release. “This mismatch in hydrology and supplies requires immediate attention and science-based action to retain environmental protections while also increasing stored supplies when reservoirs are spilling and there is significant sustained runoff through the Delta.”
