For Immediate Release
Contact: pubaffairs@wwd.ca.gov
(559) 241-6233
Westlands Water District Responds to Updated Central Valley Project Allocation
Fresno, California – Today, the Bureau of Reclamation announced an updated allocation of 31 percent for Westlands Water District (District) and other south-of-Delta Central Valley Project irrigation water service and repayment contractors.
In response, Allison Febbo, General Manager of Westlands Water District, issued the following statement:
“We are grateful to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) for this additional allocation and for listening to the needs of our growers. We appreciate Reclamation’s leadership, its continued partnership with Westlands Water District, and its commitment to finding solutions that improve water availability for the farms and communities that depend on it. This decision demonstrates the value of a strong working relationship, operational flexibility, and sound science in managing California’s water supplies.
While allocation increases this late in the water year are unusual, the latest hydrologic data shows there is water available in our reservoirs that can be put to beneficial use now. Making that water available to growers is a prudent and responsible decision, particularly with the potential for an El Niño-driven wet winter ahead. Delivering available surface water now also helps advance the goals of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) by reducing the need for groundwater pumping and preserving critical groundwater reserves for future dry years. This is exactly the kind of thoughtful, science-based water management that supports both our agricultural communities and California’s long-term water sustainability goals.
For our growers, every additional acre-foot matters. This increase will help family farmers maintain agricultural operations, protect jobs, and reduce reliance on groundwater. We thank Reclamation for its responsiveness and thoughtful approach to this decision and look forward to continuing our partnership to improve water supply reliability for the San Joaquin Valley.”
###
About Westlands Water District
Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than seven decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology.