Incremental hydrologic improvements support modest allocation increases for Delta and south-of-Delta contractors
As California moves through the 2026 water year with highly variable hydrologic conditions, the Bureau of Reclamation is updating Central Valley Project water supply allocations to reflect current reservoir storage, snowpack, and runoff forecasts. These adjustments are intended to provide water users with improved certainty while maintaining flexibility as conditions evolve. Initial allocations for the 2026 water year were announced Feb. 25 and are updated today.
“Hydrologic conditions this year have required careful, real-time management of our water resources,” said Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels. “These modest increases reflect both the improvements from late February storms and the need to remain cautious as we move through the remainder of the water year, especially given the current extended dry period and state of the Sierra snowpack. Our priority remains delivering reliable water supplies while protecting the long-term sustainability of the system.”
Reclamation continues to optimize operations across the Central Valley Project to balance water supply deliveries, environmental requirements, and reservoir management. Operational improvements supported by Executive Order 14181 have also enhanced Reclamation’s ability to efficiently manage and deliver available water supplies under these conditions.
Based on current hydrology and updated forecasts, Reclamation is announcing the following changes to CVP water supply allocations:
In-Delta Contractors
- Cross Valley irrigation water service and repayment contractors are increased from 15% to 20% of their contract total. In-Delta Municipal and Industrial contractors remain at 100%, as announced February 25.
South-of-Delta Contractors
- Irrigation water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta are increased from 15% to 20% of their contract total.
- Municipal and Industrial water service and repayment contractors south-of-Delta allocations are increased from 65% to 70% of their historic use, or public health and safety needs, whichever is greater.
An additional 222,000 acre-feet (around an additional 10%) of water that was previously rescheduled by south-of-Delta contractors is also available for use this water year.
Further, Reclamation continues to manage a portion of storage—about 94,000 acre-feet of water—in San Luis Reservoir as part of its drought reserve strategy, which is not included in current year allocation determinations.
All other allocation amounts announced on Feb. 25 remain unchanged.
Water supply updates are available on Reclamation’s California-Great Basin Region website.
The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation’s largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits.
Westlands Water District: The additional 5% is ‘simply inadequate’
Statement from Westlands Water District
Today, the Bureau of Reclamation announced an updated allocation increasing from 15 to 20 percent for Westlands Water District (District) and other south-of-Delta Central Valley Project irrigation water service contractors.
In response, Allison Febbo, General Manager of Westlands Water District, issued the following statement:
“While we appreciate the modest increase in allocation and acknowledge the constraints of California’s current hydrology—particularly as snowpack declines rapidly—this additional 5 percent is simply inadequate. Continued low allocations lead to increased reliance on groundwater pumping, a direct result of our broken water system that has suffered from decades of underinvestment and unreliable water supplies.
This approach is not sustainable and continued low allocations only underscore the urgent need to modernize how California manages, stores and allocates water. We must do a better job of aligning water operations with real-time conditions to reduce unnecessary groundwater use and to maximize available surface water supplies.”
Westlands is working actively with the Bureau of Reclamation, federal leadership, and policymakers to develop new methods and tools that will secure increased allocations and improve operational flexibility in the future.
Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than seven decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology.
