California increases water supply allocation to 100%
Reservoirs in California are nearing capacity and with the start of snowmelt runoff, the state announced that it will boost water deliveries for state water contractors to 100% of requested supplies. This impacts 29 public water agencies that serve 27 million Californians, and is the highest allocation since 2006.
The wet winter condition has allowed the State Water Project (SWP) to make additional water available to any contractor that has the ability to store the water in its own system.
The state, on the other hand, is actively managing water supplies to distribute it throughout the state, mitigate flooding, expand storage, benefit the environment, and help replenish groundwater and aquifers that have been depleted from years of extreme drought.
Governor Gavin Newsom said, "California is moving and storing as much water as possible to meet the state's needs, reduce the risk of flooding, and protect our communities, agriculture, and the environment."
Furthermore, the state is also sending an additional 5% to regions for groundwater recharge.