I would like to thank the California Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation for increasing our imported water allocations. Today, our State Water Project allocation was boosted to 30% from 15% and our Central Valley Project municipal and industrial allocation was increased to 75% of historical use, up from 65%.
The increased allocation will help Valley Water meet our water supply demands and is especially welcome since we cannot store water in our local Anderson Reservoir as we undergo a federally mandated seismic retrofit.
We are grateful we experienced a healthy winter season with near-average statewide snowpack, given that more than half the water used in our county originates in the Sierra Nevada. Following a dry start to the water year, the above-average precipitation in February significantly improved water supply conditions throughout California, bringing them closer to historical averages.
While we acknowledge California's vulnerability to drought and the importance of continually conserving water, Valley Water is taking a proactive stance and is currently evaluating a range of storage projects that will enable us to capture excess water during wet winters for use during dry years. We are committed to making the necessary investments to ensure a reliable, clean water supply for future generations.
Photo credit: Sara Nevis / California Department of Water Resources