From the California Farm Bureau Federation:
California Department of Water Resources has warned water agencies that contract with the State Water Project that they may receive no water allocations in 2022 due to severe shortages after two years of drought.
Officials announced Dec. 1 that SWP will not plan water deliveries until there is a clearer picture of hydrologic and reservoir conditions.
“Despite a wet start to the water year, conditions have dried out since that first storm and we are still planning for a below-average water year,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “That means we need to prepare now for a dry winter and severe drought conditions to continue through 2022. We will be working with our federal partners and SWP contractors to take a conservative planning approach to balance limited water supplies with the needs of residents, businesses and the environment.”
With reservoirs at or near historic lows, DWR said it is focused on preserving water supplies for health and safety needs, delta salinity control, protecting endangered species and reserving some water for additonal allocations if hydrology conditions improve.
In addition to limiting the initial allocation to health and safety needs, DWR said it is making plans to adjust SWP operations this winter and spring. It is capturing and storing water in Lake Oroville and south of the delta in San Luis Reservoir to increase available supplies for 2022 and will continue to do so through winter.
In addition, DWR and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation submitted a “Temporary Urgency Change Petition” to the State Water Resources Control Board. If approved, the petition would allow the State Water Project and Central Valley Project to operate under modifications to the water quality and water right permit requirements in the delta from February through April 2022.
Each year, DWR provides the initial State Water Project allocation by Dec. 1, based on available water storage and projected water supply demands.