2018-2019 Water Supply Update – Rescheduling
On April 20, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) announced an update to its 2018 Central Valley Project water allocations. The announcement included an updated water allocation of 40 percent for south-of-Delta agricultural water service contractors. Additionally, Reclamation indicated that it “is planning to limit the overall amount of water in San Luis Reservoir that is rescheduled at the end of the contract year into the 2019 contract year to 150,000 acre-feet.”
District staff sought a clarification from Reclamation because in prior years, a cap on rescheduled water applied only to allocated Project water. Reclamation confirmed that the 150,000 acre-feet cap is intended to apply only to the 2018 allocation of Project water and any Project water allocated in a prior year, but rescheduled into the 2018 contract year. The District’s share of a 150,000 acre-feet cap on allocated Project water would be approximately 100,000 acre-feet.
Additional water acquired by contractors and stored under (non-Project) Warren Act contracts or other agreements will not be subject to this limitation. However, non-Project water stored in this manner is at a higher risk of loss if San Luis Reservoir fills.
The District anticipates that it will acquire 25,000-40,000 acre-feet of non-Project water this year. District staff will manage the delivery of this water to maximize total carryover storage that is made available to all water users, without unduly increasing the risk of loss.
If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Russ Freeman at (559) 241-6241.