Last week the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced it will be increasing allocations for the State Water Project. In a press release, DWR Director Karla Nemeth said that December storms have allowed the Department to convey and store water in the San Luis Reservoir. Those storms and additional water have enabled a modest increase in deliveries. The State Water Project (SWP) allocation has been increased to 15 percent of requested supplies for 2022.
Even with the December storms and increased allocation, DWR is still planning for a third consecutive dry year. DWR and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have also withdrawn an application for a Temporary Urgency Change Petition for February 1 through April 2022. The petition would have provided flexibility for the SWP and the Central Valley Project to release less water into the Delta, conserving stored water in Shasta, Oroville, and Folsom reservoirs.
Listen to the radio report below.