Costa: Our efforts
are paying off. More water is flowing to the Valley
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) today announced that the
Interior
Department will be increasing water allocations from the federal Central
Valley
Project to 40 percent for agricultural service contractors south of the
Delta.
Interior’s latest announcement is another increase from the Department’s
initial announcement of 5 percent on February 26.
“Our efforts to press the Administration for more water are producing results,” said Costa. “More water is flowing to our Valley this year. Jobs will return and the increased water allocation will help get our economy back on track. Our fight is far from over, but we are turning the corner and making real progress.”
Water district managers in the Valley have stated that our farmers need a minimum allocation of 40 percent to make it through the year. Due to drought conditions and misguided regulations, last year the Westside received a mere 10 percent water allocation.
In addition to his efforts to increase the Valley’s water allocations, Costa recently took on the flawed regulations that are restricting the movement of water to the Valley (for more information, click here). In a letter to Commerce Secretary Locke, Congressmen Costa and Cardoza, along with Senator Feinstein, called on the Department to exercise greater flexibility in implementing the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) biological opinion so more water can flow to the Valley now.
The Interior Department’s full release can be viewed below.
# # #
Secretary
Salazar Announces Increased Central Valley Project 2010 Water Allocation
Agricultural
Water Service Contractors South-of-Delta Receive 40 Percent Allocation
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the
Bureau of Reclamation’s 2010 Central Valley Project (CVP) Water Supply
allocations have increased for agricultural water service contractors in
California’s San Joaquin Valley.
“I am pleased to announce that the water allocation for the hard hit,
South-of-Delta agricultural water service contractors has increased to 40
percent, up from the initial 5 percent allocation in February,” said Salazar.
“It is because of the determination and cooperation of our partner
agencies, water users, and stakeholders, and because of the support of Senators
Feinstein and Boxer, and Congressional Representatives Miller, Cardoza, Costa,
Thompson, and Grace Napolitano that we are able to make this announcement
today.”
The improved allocation is based in large part on the efforts announced by
Secretary Salazar in February to secure additional sources of water to boost
allocations for South-of-Delta agricultural water service contractors on the
west side of the San Joaquin Valley and improved storage and runoff into the
CVP reservoirs, in particular the American River watershed. The
California Department of Water Resources has been a key partner in the effort
to shore up supplies. Since the February announcement, Reclamation has
continued to firm up supplemental water supplies through the following actions:
- Improved operations through more precise compliance with Old and Middle River
flows by the Bureau of Reclamation and the State Water Project;
- Additional water transfers to be made available from senior east side water
users to the west side, through groundwater substitution and other actions;
- Adjusting the timing of water use (sometimes referred to as source shifting)
to address low point issues in San Luis Reservoir;
- Capturing and temporarily using excess San Joaquin River Restoration Program
flows in the Mendota Pool;
- Applying Joint Point Diversion operations to allow for more flexibility
between the state and Federal projects.
“While this improvement is welcome news, California’s Central Valley is still
struggling to overcome the effects of three years of drought and water system
operational constraints needed to address water quality and fish species of
concern in the Delta,” added Secretary Salazar. “The department continues
to work with the state and other water interests to improve the reliability of
water delivery throughout California.”
Compared to the previous allocation and using a conservative forecast
(generally referred to as the 90-percent exceedance forecast):
- The allocation for Municipal and Industrial (M&I) water service
contractors north of the Delta, including American River and Contra Costa
M&I contractors, remains at 100 percent.
- M&I water service contractors south of the Delta remains at 75 percent
allocation.
- Agricultural water service contractors north of the Delta remains at 100
percent allocation.
- Agricultural water service contractors south of the Delta are allocated 40
percent—up from the 30 percent allocation made on April 15, 2010.
- Friant Division agricultural water service contractors’ allocation of Class 2
water supply increases to 30 percent—up from 15 percent; Class 1 allocation
remains at 100 percent.
- Eastside Division agricultural contractors’ (Stanislaus River) allocation
remains at 100 percent of their contract quantities.
- The allocation for settlement contractors with claims to senior water rights
along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers remains at 100 percent of their
contract quantities.
- Wildlife refuges’ allocation north and south of the Delta remains at 100
percent of their “Level 2” water.
For additional information on today’s announcement, please see the Mid-Pacific
Region’s website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/pa/water.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Region’s
Public Affairs Office at 916-978-5100 (TTY 916-978-5608) or e-mail
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.