Reclamation hopes for 100 percent water allocation

With a much improved rainfall season and snowpack — at least for one year — the water allocation outlook for the area appears to be looking much better than in past years.

The federal Bureau of Reclamation has stated it’s requesting a 100 percent water allocation locally for Class 1 Friant contractors. In addition is stated it plans to request a 20 percent allocation for Class 2 contractors.

That’s much higher than in recent years.

Last year Class I contractors ended up with a water allocation of 30 percent of normally after originally receiving a water allocation of 15 percent. And that 30 percent was higher than in years before as the state continued to go through a drought. The 20 percent for Class 2 contractors is also new as 0 percent allocation has been the norm for Class 2 contractors in recent years.

But all that has changed this year with the favorable rainfall and snowpack. The Friant Water Authority, which oversees the Friant-kern Canal, posted on its website on Monday morning what the allocation expected from Reclamation through the Central Valley Project.

“Based on current conditions Reclamation has requested WY (water year) 2023 schedules from Friant Contractors for 100% Class 1 supply plus 20% Class 2 supplies,” FWA posted on its website.

As of Monday Reclamation has yet to officially make its water allocation announcement for the upcoming water year that begins on March 1. Reclamation has made that announcement this month in the past and FWA board member Cliff Loeffler said it’s hope Reclamation will make the announcement sometime between now and the first couple of weeks of March.

“The bureau seems pretty confident they’ll be able to keep that allotment,” Loeffler said.

The first 800,000 acre feet of water is considered Class 1, so if Reclamation sticks with its forecast, Class 1 contractors would receive

the full allotment of 800,000 acre feet. Class 2 is considered the next amount available up to 1.4 million acre feet so if Reclamation’s unofficial request holds, that would mean another 280,000 acre feet.

One factor that’s helping the improved water forecast is farmers and cities have worked to improve storing water which can also be used to replenish groundwater. “There’s some more places to put water,” Loeffler said.

But of course when asked if increasing the state’s storage capability, Loeffler said, “Oh yeah. That will never end.”

With storage in mind the State Department of Water Resources and Reclamation announced on Monday it submitted a Temporary Urgency Change Petition to store more water. DWR stated the recent dry period that has followed the major storms in mid-january “could result in a sharp reduction in the amoung of water that can be” retained or stored for the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project.

DWR stated the TUCP could lead to another 300,000 acre feet of water being saved for the State Water Project alone.

Another factor helping the improved water outlook is colder temperatures are preserving the snowpack and while almond blooms could be hurt by the colder temperatures right now the colder temperatures are continuing to preserve the snowpack.

And the snowpack continues to get better. As of Monday locally in the Southern Sierra the snowpack was at 160 percent of normal if it was April 1 and 223 percent above normal for February 13. As of Monday the average snow water equivalent had increased to 36.7 inches.

The snowpack and the average snow water equivalent are two major factors in determining water allocations.