Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
West Side Gets 35%, Friant 100%, Salmon 100% of Water Allocation
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 6 years ago on
February 20, 2019

Share

West-side farmers in Fresno County will receive a 35% water allocation from the Central Valley Project, the Bureau of Reclamation announced Wednesday.
Other districts served by the federal water project, however, will receive allocations ranging from 70% to 100%. Friant Division farmers are among those receiving 100% allocations.
In addition, 150,000 acre-feet of flood release water from Millerton Lake will be made available to eligible Friant contractors.

Portrait of Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen
“Today’s announcement of a 35 percent water allocation for Fresno County’s west-side federal water contractors once again shows the brokenness of California’s water systems.” — Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of Fresno County Farm Bureau
Grower Joe Del Bosque of Firebaugh tweeted Wednesday that based on the snowpack and rainfall, the initial west-side allocation should be 60%. Del Bosque is a California Water Commission board member.

San Joaquin River Restoration Gets 322,000 Acre-Feet

The Bureau LAO forecasts that 322,000 acre-feet of Millerton water will be used for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, which seeks to restore a self-sustaining Chinook salmon fishery in the river. That is the amount released in what the Bureau calls a “normal-wet” water year.
“Though we’ve had a great start to 2019, our experience as the operator of this complex and important infrastructure dictates we act conservatively at this time of year,” said Ernest Conant, Reclamation’s Mid-Pacific Region Director. “In particular, we are closely monitoring the current and projected storage at Shasta Lake, which is the largest reservoir in the CVP.”

photo of san joaquin river restoration
Bringing back a salmon fishery is the goal of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program. (San Joaquin River Restoration Program Photo)

Sierra Snowpack is 141% of Historical Average

The low initial allocation to west-side farmers comes despite above average precipitation this winter.
The California Department of Water Resources reported that as of Feb. 15, the statewide average snow water equivalent in the Sierra Nevada snowpack was 141 percent of the historical average. Overall precipitation is about 121 percent of the historical average for the northern Central Valley.
“Today’s announcement of a 35 percent water allocation for Fresno County’s west-side federal water contractors once again shows the brokenness of California’s water systems,” said Ryan Jacobsen, who is CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau.
“As I have stated many times before, federal water policy has failed everyone … it has failed to protect fish species and it’s failed to provide water to the communities, businesses, and farms who need it most. The current biological opinions in which the systems operate under are dysfunctional. They continue to cost this region a reliable water supply with no positive benefit to the species it is meant to protect in the Delta.”

Farm Bureau CEO Calls for New Water Storage Investment

Jacobsen called for new investment in California water storage.
“On the Friant system, while news of a 100 percent Class I allocation is welcomed, we are once again reminded of the need for additional storage. Water will need to be evacuated from Millerton Lake to make room for spring melt flows. With additional storage, these flows could be preserved for times when it’s needed most during the summer months.
“Over the long-term, California does receive ample precipitation, but it’s weather patterns are cyclical. Without investments in our water infrastructure as well as changes to the way the system is operated, it will be economically devastating to the Valley to make it through the dry times, particularly with the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.”

What If Remainder of Winter Is Dry?

With a capacity of about 4.5 million acre-feet, Shasta Lake generally provides the majority of the water storage for the CVP. In addition, Reclamation is charged with ensuring that adequate temperatures are maintained in the Sacramento River downstream of the dam throughout the summer and fall for endangered winter-run Chinook salmon.
“Reclamation’s initial allocations this year reflect the rain and snow we’ve had to date, balanced with the need to exercise reasonable caution should the remainder of the winter turn dry,” Conant said. “We recognize the importance of providing meaningful allocations early in the year for the planning needs of our contractors and must also ensure we can meet these commitments should conditions turn dry or other contingencies arise.”
 

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

UP NEXT

Hertz Says Hackers Stole Its Customer Data

Judge Orders Bank of America to Pay $540 Million in FDIC Lawsuit

3 hours ago

Will Your Fresno Street Get Repaved This Year?

4 hours ago

5 Migrants Feared Dead After Boat Capsizes Off Florida Coast

Five migrants are feared dead after their boat capsized on the way to Florida from the Bahamas in “a suspected failed smuggling venture,” of...

1 hour ago

A photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows a capsized boat off Florida's Atlantic Coast. Five migrants are feared dead after their boat capsized en route from the Bahamas to Florida in “a suspected failed smuggling venture,” officials said on Monday, April 14, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via The New York Times)
1 hour ago

5 Migrants Feared Dead After Boat Capsizes Off Florida Coast

A special police member monitors a protest, while inside the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) building, the day after members of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) moved into the CFPB, in Washington, U.S. February 8, 2025. (REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
2 hours ago

Trump Administration Moves to Scrap Biden-Era Credit Card Late Fee Rule

This image taken from a video provided by Christopher Helali shows Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University, being detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester, Vt., on Monday, April 14, 2025. (Christopher Helali via AP)
3 hours ago

A Palestinian Activist Expecting a US Citizenship Interview Is Arrested Instead by ICE

A logo of the Bank of America is seen on an office building at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) at Gandhinagar, India, December 8, 2023. (REUTERS File)
3 hours ago

Judge Orders Bank of America to Pay $540 Million in FDIC Lawsuit

4 hours ago

Will Your Fresno Street Get Repaved This Year?

Cars are parked near Hertz car rental signage at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York City, U.S., March 30, 2022. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)
4 hours ago

Hertz Says Hackers Stole Its Customer Data

4 hours ago

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

Jamie Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive officer (CEO) of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) speaks to the Economic Club of New York in Manhattan in New York City, U.S., April 23, 2024. (REUTERS File)
4 hours ago

Jamie Dimon Sells About $31.5 Million Worth of JPMorgan Shares

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend