• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
California Government Logo
  • Log In
  • Contact Us
  • Calendar
  • Notices
  • Employment
Westlands Water District

Westlands Water District

Fresno, CA

  • Home
  • About
        • History
        • Board of Directors
        • Financials
        • Mission/Goals
        • Organization/Staff
        • Additional Information
          • Rules & Regs
          • Fact Sheets & Infographics
          • FAQ
        • Maps
        • Human Resources
          • Class Descriptions
        • We Are Westlands Videos
  • Sustainability
        • Agricultural
        • Environmental Restoration
  • Water Management
        • Irrigation Guide
        • Water Use Efficiency
          • Expanded Irrigation System Improvement Program (EISIP)
          • Expanded Irrigation System Improvement Program (EISIP)/Public Purpose Program (P3) Grant
        • Groundwater Management
          • Groundwater Management Program
          • Temporary Diversions
          • SGMA
        • Additional Water Management
          • Water Management Plan (5 Year Update)
          • Water Management Plan 2017
          • Water Management Handbook 2013
        • Water Supply
          • Annual Water Use and Supply
          • Municipal & Industrial
          • Rescheduled Water Forecast
          • Water Transfers
          • Water Rates
          • CIP – DIP
  • Resource Management
        • Land Management
        • Power
          • ISM Program
        • Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
          • Worksheet Document Templates
        • Drainage
          • Drainage Settlement Docs
  • News & Reports
        • Meetings
        • Media Center
          • Education & Outreach
          • Newsletters & Blogs
          • Fact Sheets & Infographics
        • Drought Info
        • Crop Reports
        • Notices
          • Prop 218 Info
          • Covid-19 office closure
          • E-Statement Access
        • Presentations
        • Environmental Docs
          • Activities or Approvals by Westlands Water District Pursuant to ¶11 of the May 10, 2021 Governor’s Proclamation
          • Activities or Approvals that are implemented pursuant to ¶5 of the Governor’s Executive Order N-7-22, dated March 28, 2022.
          • Activities or Approvals that are implemented pursuant to ¶13 of the Governor’s  Executive Order  N-7-22, dated March 28, 2022
        • Economic Reports
        • Relevant Links
  • Investor Relations
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Press Release

April 18, 2019

For Immediate Release
Contact: Diana Giraldo
(559) 241-6233

Statement from Westlands Water District on Bureau of Reclamation’s April Allocation Announcement

Fresno, CA – Today the Bureau of Reclamation announced the allocation for south-of-Delta Central Valley Project agricultural water service contractors is being increased to 65%. In light of current hydrologic and reservoir conditions, this minor increase is astonishing. 

Thomas Birmingham, Westlands Water District’s general manager, stated: “This announcement begs the question, what has to happen before south-of-Delta farmers served by the Central Valley Project can get a full supply?”

Since October 1, 2018, the beginning of the current water year, California has been blessed with abundant precipitation; the 2018-19 water year is now classified as wet. As of April 8, 2019, the snow water content in the northern and central Sierra Nevada were 160% and 163% of the long-term average, respectively. Storage in every CVP reservoir used to supply south-of-Delta CVP agricultural water service contractors was more than 100% of average for that date. Indeed, these reservoirs were and remain in flood control operations.

Birmingham added, “I know that Reclamation staff understands the consequences of the decisions they make. Reclamation staff understands reduced allocations in a year like this needlessly increases overdraft in already overdrafted groundwater basins. Reclamation staff understands delayed allocation announcements make it nearly impossible for farmers to effectively plan their operations. If Reclamation’s leadership could, they would make a 100% allocation. But Reclamation’s hands are tied by restrictions imposed by biological opinions issued under the Endangered Species Act. These restrictions have crippled the CVP and have provided no demonstrative protection for listed fish species, all of which have continued to decline despite the draconian effect the biological opinions have had on water supply for people.”

Birmingham concluded, “Notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by the biological opinions, Westlands firmly believes that there is sufficient water to allocate to south-of-Delta agricultural water services contractors 100%. Today’s announcement by Reclamation is disappointing for every south-of Delta farmer served by the CVP, and we hope Reclamation will increase the allocation quickly to enable farmers to quit pumping groundwater.”

After 2019, no one will be able to argue that water supply reductions for south-of-Delta CVP agricultural water service contractors are a result of hydrologic conditions. This year demonstrates only too well the crippling consequences of ineffective and unchecked regulations. Because of restrictions imposed on operations of the CVP under the guise of protecting fish, the CVP cannot be operated to satisfy one of the primary purposes for which it was built, supplying water to farmers.

###

Westlands Water District is the largest agricultural water district in the United States, made up of more than 1,000 square miles of prime farmland in western Fresno and Kings Counties. Westlands provides water to 700 family-owned farms that average 653 acres in size.

Primary Sidebar

Skip to the Next Page

Calendar Next Page

Search the Site

PDF Accessibility

One or more of the PDF files on this site fall under E202.2 Legacy Exceptions and may not be completely accessible. You may request an accessible version of a PDF using the form on the Contact Us page.

Copyright © 2023 · Westlands Water District · Developed by Bet Hannon Business Websites

  • Privacy Policy
  • Conditions of Use/Disclaimer
  • Voter Registration
  • WWD Accessibility
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us
  • Intranet
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn