An update from the Bureau of Reclamation means a modest increase in water sent to south-of-Delta contractors, including Westlands Water District.

On Tuesday, the bureau announced the yearly allocation would increase to 20% from 15%. This comes as a recent heat wave has experts worried about accelerated melting of the vital Sierra snowpack.

Allison Febbo, general manager of Westlands, said in a release that the government needs to better coordinate with experts to adapt allocations to real-world conditions and decrease the need for groundwater pumping.

“While we appreciate the modest increase in allocation and acknowledge the constraints of California’s current hydrology — particularly as snowpack declines rapidly — this additional 5 percent is simply inadequate,” Febbo said in a statement. “Continued low allocations lead to increased reliance on groundwater pumping, a direct result of our broken water system that has suffered from decades of underinvestment and unreliable water supplies.”

Extended Dry Forecasts Breed Caution

In most years, as the water year progresses, the bureau will change allocations as conditions change, something farmers say makes planning difficult.

Late February storms helped hydrologists grant the allocation increase, but extended dry forecasts give experts reason to be cautious, said Adam Nickels, acting regional director for the bureau in Tuesday’s announcement.

“Hydrologic conditions this year have required careful, real-time management of our water resources,” Nickels said in a statement. “These modest increases reflect both the improvements from late February storms and the need to remain cautious as we move through the remainder of the water year.”

The bureau said for south-of-Delta contractors, the bureau also made 222,000 acre-feet of water available for users. Another 94,000 acre-feet in the San Luis Reservoir has been held as part of a drought reserve strategy.