On Dec. 23, 2024, the California Department of Water Resources announced that the State Water Project allocation for 2025 will increase from 5% to 15% of requested supplies. Valley Water depends on water from the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project to help meet Santa Clara County's water needs.
The Department of Water Resources said the increase is due to strong storms in late November and early December which helped boost statewide precipitation to just above average for this time of year.
Each year, the Department of Water Resources provides State Water Project allocation forecasts based on available water storage, projected water supply and water demands. They update these allocations monthly as they assess snowpack, rainfall and runoff information. A final allocation is typically announced in May or June.
Last year, the initial allocation was 10% of requested supplies, which increased to 40% by the end of the rainfall season.
While the water supply outlook for Santa Clara County for the upcoming year is positive, California is prone to drought. That’s why Valley Water encourages residents and businesses to make water conservation a way of life. Residents, businesses, and farms in Santa Clara County can take advantage of Valley Water’s many conservation programs by visiting watersavings.org.
Photo caption: A drone view from San Luis Reservoir on Sept. 13, 2024. On this date, the reservoir storage was at 48% of the total capacity. The reservoir is part of the San Luis Joint-Use Complex, which serves the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project. Andrew Nixon / Department of Water Resources.
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On Dec. 2, 2024, the California Department of Water Resources announced an initial State Water Project allocation of 5% of requested supplies for 2025. Valley Water depends on water from the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project to help meet Santa Clara County's water supply needs.
The California Department of Water Resources' initial allocation was based on current reservoir storage and conservative estimates for precipitation this winter. Last year, the initial allocation was 10% of requested supplies, which increased to 40% by the end of the rainfall season.