CALIFORNIA'S WATER SITUATION
Following three years of below average rain fall, California is facing a water crisis. We here at California Waterfowl are monitoring the situation and working to ensure waterfowl and wetland wildlife remain a priority. Below is a report on the state of our water supply.
In preparation for the initial 2009 water allocation announcement in February, the Bureau of Reclamation released information in January on water supply conditions for the Federal Central Valley Project (CVP) and provided comparisons between current conditions and those in January 2008 and 2007, 1992 and 1977 (drought years), and the 15-year average.
Water conditions over the past several years have been very dry. Water Years 2007 and 2008 were critically dry for both the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins. Precipitation in Northern California in 2008 was approximately 70 percent of average, and the CVP carried just 35 percent of storage capacity. (Reclamation's Water Year runs from October 1 to September 30).
The 2-year combined total Northern California precipitation for 2007 and 2008 isthe 9th driest 2-year period on record and was only about 70 percent of average.
For this year, the California Department of Water Resource's January 1, 2009, Snow Survey found snow-water content to be 76 percent of normal Statewide as compared to 60 percent of normal last year; however, very little additional precipitation or snowfall has occurred since that time. Precipitation in Northern California is currently only 66 percent of the seasonal average.
The following table shows current conditions in five key CVP reservoirs as of January 19 for 2009, 2008, and 2007, as well as the 15-year average
CVP Reservoir Storage Comparisons for 2009, 2008, 2007, 15-Year Average
As of January 19 for Each Year - Storages Listed in Millions of Acre-feet (MAF) |
CVP Reservoir Capacities |
2009 |
% of
Capacity |
2008 |
% of
Capacity |
2007 |
% of
Capacity |
15-Year Average |
% of 15-Year Average* |
Shasta 4.552 |
1.394 |
31% |
2.035 |
45% |
3.377 |
75% |
3.135 |
44% |
New Melones 2.420 |
1.152 |
48% |
1.465 |
61% |
1.985 |
82% |
1.630 |
71% |
Trinity
2.448 |
.978 |
40% |
1.403 |
57% |
1.799 |
73% |
1.718 |
57% |
Folsom 0.977 |
.218 |
22% |
.259 |
27% |
.485 |
50% |
.458 |
48% |
Fed. San Luis 0.966 |
.289 |
30% |
.711 |
74% |
.762 |
79% |
.752 |
38% |
Total 11.363 |
4.031 |
35% |
5.873 |
52% |
8.408 |
74% |
7.693 |
52% |
* This percentage is the current January 19, 2009, storage divided by the 15-Year Average storage. |
Given the current dry conditions and low reservoir storages, project operations and water delivery will be very challenging this year. As a result, the initial CVP allocations will be relatively low this year. The first official 2009 CVP water allocation announcement is planned for Friday, February 20, 2009.
In the coming months, additional information will be posted on the Mid-Pacific Region's website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/.
Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, with operations and facilities in the 17 Western States. Its facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits. Visit their website at www.usbr.gov. |
