Central Valley farmers found out on Thursday that they are not set to receive very much water this year.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that South-of-Delta water contractors will receive 15% of their contracted amount.
Driving the news: The low allocation was driven by a dry and warm January, which effectively cancelled out some early storms in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
- Reclamation noted that California’s snowpack is at 59% of the historical average.
Preparing for the future: Despite the low allocation, Reclamation applauded the work done under Executive Order 14181, which was signed by President Donald Trump shortly after he took office for his second term.
- Reclamation said the active water management under that order has resulted in more than 200,000 acre-feet of additional water to California’s reservoirs.
What they’re saying: “While current snowpack conditions remain below average, we are encouraged by the recent storm activity and the additional precipitation it has brought to the state,” said Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels. “As we receive and analyze updated data from these storms, particularly snowpack and runoff forecasts, we are hopeful conditions may improve. We will continue to closely monitor hydrologic developments and update allocations accordingly to reflect the most accurate and up-to-date information available.”
The other side: Westlands Water District General Manager Allison Febbo was disappointed with the allocation, saying it does not represent current conditions.
- “We appreciate the Trump administration’s leadership on strengthening water reliability for the San Joaquin Valley and its recognition of the severity of the state’s water challenges,” Febbo said. “However, given recent storms that have lifted California out of drought, improved snowpack, and increased reservoir storage, a 15% water supply allocation does not reflect current hydrologic conditions and falls well short of what is needed to sustain the District’s nearly 700 family-owned farms that feed the world and support communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley.”
- Febbo continued, “Our farmers are among the most efficient water users in the world. Yet year after year, unreliable water supplies due to a broken water system and rigid water management regulations have led to fallowed farmland, lost jobs, and increased reliance on groundwater.”
- Febbo said the district remains committed to ensuring that hydrological improvements result in an increased and updated allocation in the coming months.
- Rep. Jim Costa (D–Fresno) and Rep. Adam Gray (D–Merced) offered a blunt assessment. “We are not happy,” they said in a joint statement. “With substantial snowpack this winter and multiple recent years of strong precipitation that have helped lift California out of drought, the initial allocation is not justified. The President claimed he could deliver more water and yet that pledge rings hollow today. The Trump Administration’s allocations are offensive to the farmers of the San Joaquin Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. This administration needs to move forward immediately with higher allocations and bring more water to the Valley like they promised.”
