On Wednesday, the Bureau of Reclamation released its long awaited Central Valley Project allocation for the upcoming growing season. Generally speaking, all contractors are receiving full supplies with the exception of south-of-Delta M&I who will receive 90% and south-of-Delta agricultural contractors, who will receive 65%. Yesterday, I posted the reactions I could find at the time; here are a few more, again, listed in alphabetical order: From Byron Bethany Irrigation District: Farmers left waiting in limbo to learn how much water they would receive from the Central Valley Project (CVP) finally have their answer – and it is stunningly disappointing. On Wednesday, after weeks of inexplicable delays that hamstrung farmers at the outset of the growing season, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation finally announced a mere 65% allocation for South-of-Delta CVP contractors, including Byron-Bethany Irrigation District (BBID). The CVP, one of the state’s largest infrastructure projects, is managed by the federal government and delivers water to the Central Valley. “If there was ever a year for a full, 100% allocation, this is it,” said BBID GM Rick Gilmore. “This is the wettest year ever in California. The state has double the water it normally has this time of year. Our reservoirs are literally overflowing. Our snowpack is at more than 150% of normal. This delayed decision extends our regulatory drought and shows how badly broken California’s water system is.” Instead of utilizing what should be abundant water supplies to grow farm-fresh fruits and vegetables to feed California and the nation, growers in BBID’s CVP service area will yet again face shortages. The lack of a timely decision was damaging enough. Without knowing how much water is available, farmers can’t make critical decisions about how many acres to plant, or how many people to hire. The 65% allocation adds insult to injury, and may reduce how much local produce is available for California’s families. Meanwhile, water that could be used in cities and on farms, or to recharge the state’s taxed groundwater flows into the ocean, in the name of failed environmental policies. Federal fisheries are hoarding water to keep river temperatures at arbitrary levels to protect fish – with no concrete improvements. These policies aren’t good for California’s communities, its farms or even its environment. “The District is more committed than ever to doing whatever necessary to fix the system,” Gilmore added. “We must finally build new infrastructure to store more water in wet…

From the Bureau of Reclamation: The Bureau of Reclamation today announced the 2017 water supply allocation for the remaining Central Valley Project contractors. On Feb. 28, 2017, Reclamation announced the water supply allocation for CVP contractors in the Friant Division (Millerton Reservoir), Eastside Division (New Melones Reservoir), and the American River Division (Folsom Reservoir). The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) reports that as of March 20, the statewide average snow water equivalent in the Sierra Nevada was 44 inches, as compared to 25 inches last year. Precipitation is currently 199 percent of the seasonal average to date for the Sierra Nevada for this point in the water year (which began Oct. 1, 2016). “As previously announced, Reclamation is taking a unique approach to announcing CVP water allocations,” said Acting Mid-Pacific Regional Director Pablo Arroyave. “In February, we notified the Refuge Contractors, San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, and Sacramento River Settlement Contractors that, since this is not a Shasta Critical Year, they will receive 100 percent of their contract supply. We then provided additional allocations on February 28. Now,…

BLOG ROUND-UP: Bloggers on the National Geographic film, post-drought groundwater, State Water Board flow mandates, Delta Tunnels, San Luis Dam, Sites Reservoir, and more ….
… ” Read more from the Voices on Water blog here: National Geography documentary distorts California’s water history New film shows that clean water is not a guarantee for many in California: Ana Lucia Garcia Briones writes, “National Geographic’s new film, “Water & Power: A California Heist,” explores the impacts of California’s drought and the San Joaquin Valley’s groundwater crisis, and highlights issues surrounding the state’s water rights and the powerful interests that sometimes control them.
… ” Read more at the Daily Kos here: Federal scientists find Delta tunnels plan will devastate salmon Full San Luis Dam endangers 200,000 people: Diedre Des Jardins writes, “San Luis Dam, also known as B.F. Sisk Dam, is 382 feet tall and 18,600 feet long, and impounds up to 2 million acre-feet of water.
… ” Continue reading at the California Water Research blog here: Risk study: $21.8 billion in property in Oroville inundation path Saving water for the future: California needs Sites Reservoir: The Northern California Water Association writes, “With the Sacramento Valley in flood stage early this year, the California Department of Water Resources has estimated that by mid-February Sites Reservoir could have stored over 1 million acre-feet of water (over 325 billion gallons) this water year.
The huge caveat: Note those weasel words … ” Continue reading at the Inkstain blog here: A big boost this year for Lake Mead See also, Don’t let the dry March overshadow the good news for Lake Mead How should one measure the Endangered Species Act’s success?
Damien M. Shiff writes, “Property rights and other groups that seek reform of the Endangered Species Act oftentimes note that only a tiny fraction of the species that have been listed under the Act have recovered.
Hence, the Act may very well be “working” but we haven’t given it enough time to show its stuff.
This post examines President Trump’s budget with respect to water programs.
After reading all the opinions I could find, I’d say the best news is this: He doesn’t seem to have any particular agenda in the area.
… ” Read more at the Legal Planet here: Gorsuch and the environment: A closer look Sign up for daily email service and you’ll never miss a post!

Does LA have a shortage of water or imagination?.
Tim Smith’s ever helpful "notes on sustainable water resources" contained this tidbit: Bureau of Reclamation’s Los Angeles Basin Study looks at the changing demographics, climate change and competing interests for available water supplies and identifies options to meet the water needs of the Los Angeles area into the future.
The study [pdf] found that there is a potential water supply deficit for the region of approximately 160,000 acre-feet-per year by 2035 and 440,000 acre-feet-per-year or 25-percent less water than the region is projected to need in 2095.
I’m always curious about these "needs" and "deficits", so I skimmed through the study, which uses "low, medium and high (business as usual)" projections for future demands that are 63 gallons/capita/day (gcd), 99 gcd and 136 gcd, respectively (page 34).
Translated in to liters/capita/day (LCD), you get 240, 376 and 517 LCD, respectively.
Is this reasonable?
Not when you consider that consumption is about 100 LCD in Amsterdam and 160 LCD in Australia’s hot, dry cities.
Bottom Line: Los Angelenos can easily avoid water deficits and shortages by reducing their demands, i.e., lawns.
How do you get them to do that?
Raise prices.