The Department of Water Resources announced it is increasing its allocation for water delivery to the State Water Project Contractors in calendar year 2006 from 55% to 65% of requests.
Dan Flory, chief of the department's State Water Project Analysis Office said, "The increased allocation is based on several factors that include existing storage in SWP reservoirs, SWP operational constraints and 2006 contractor demands." He also said DWR will revise allocations as the year's hydrologic and water conditions develop.
A 65% percent allocation amounts to 2.68 million ac-ft, distributed among the 29 long-term SWP Contractors who serve more than 23 million Californians, and about 750,000 ac of irrigated farmland. At this time last year, the allocation was 40%, or 1.65 million ac-ft.
SWP Contractors' Table A water for 2006 totals 4.13 million ac-ft, of which all was requested. Table A water is the maximum contractual amount that SWP Contractors can request each year.
The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning and plans for future statewide water needs.
Source: DWR
