The initial water allocation for 2023 has been released by the Department of Water Resources (DWR). As of December 1, DWR is allocating five percent of requested supplies for the State Water Project (SWP). Last year at this time, the initial allocation was zero percent. State officials are preparing for a fourth dry year and a continuation of drought conditions.
“This early in California’s traditional wet season, water allocations are typically low due to uncertainty in hydrologic forecasting. But the degree to which hotter and drier conditions are reducing runoff into rivers, streams and reservoirs means we have to be prepared for all possible outcomes,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said in a press release. “We are in the dawn of a new era of State Water Project management as a changing climate disrupts the timing of California’s hydrology, and hotter and drier conditions absorb more water into the atmosphere and ground.
The water situation in California appears dire, despite the few rainstorms that swept through the state. As of December 1, many of California’s major reservoirs are sitting at approximately half of their historical average. Shasta is at 57 percent of average, New Melones is at 45 percent of average, and Trinity is measured at 38 percent of average. Further south, San Luis is being reported as 48 percent of average, while Casitas is at 39 percent, and Cachuma is at 51 percent of average.
The initial water allocation will be served through flows entering the Delta from winter storms, as well as stored water in San Luis Reservoir. If water storage levels in Lake Oroville, currently sitting at 55 percent of average, improve through the wet season, DWR will consider increasing the allocation. The SWP provides water to 27 million Californians through 29 public water agencies. A final allocation is typically announced in May or June.
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