Drought and the Central Valley
Project
August 2014
CVP Overview
• Extends 400 miles from the Cascade Range to the
Tehachapi Mountains
• 20 dams and reservoirs that can hold 12 million
acre-feet of water
• 500 miles of canals
• 11 hydroelectric plants
• More than 250 contractors in 29 CA counties
CVP Authorized Purposes
•
•
•
•
•
•
Flood Control
River Regulation (Navigation)
Fish and Wildlife Needs
Municipal & Agricultural Water Supplies
Power Generation
Recreation
Importance of the CVP to California
Water Supply
• 2.5 million Californians
• 3 million acres of agriculture
Principal crops, 24 million tons
Field crops, 10 million tons Vegetable/melons, 9
million tons
Fruit/nut crops, 5 million tons
Hydropower
• 11 powerplants produce about 4.5 million megawatt
hours in an average water year
Environment
• Provides water to restore and protect fish and wildlife
and to enhance water quality
• Major source of water for 19 National Wildlife
Refuges
Flood Protection
Key Permits and Agreements
Operating Agreements and Standards
• Water Right Permits
• Water Rights Decision 1641
• Biological Opinions
• Flood Control Manuals
• Central Valley Project Improvement Act
• Coordinated Operations Agreement
State of California Drought Impact
http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
CVP
Trinity
Shasta
Major Storage
Facilities
Folsom
New Melones
Friant
San Luis
2014 CVP Water Supply
Updated Allocation
• Sacramento River Settlement Contractors – 75%
• San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors – 65-75%
• CVPIA refuges – 75% NOD/65% SOD
• Agricultural water service contractors – 0%
• M&I water service contractors – 50% of historic use
• Friant contractors – 0%
• Eastside contractors – 55%
Releases from Friant Dam to meet Exchange Contractor’s
water supply needs for the first time since the dam was
constructed.
California Drought Impacts
Central Valley Project Water Deliveries
(Deliveries numbers are rounded in Million Acre-feet)
http://www.usbr.gov/mp/PA/water/index.html
August 2014 CVP Reservoir Storage
and End of Year Projections
Trinity
Shasta
Folsom
New Mel.
Friant
Current
805
1480
394
595
256
90 – is 90% exceedence projection
50 – is 50% exceedence projection
All values are TAF
Current is August 11
Sep 90
650
1030
275
425
Dec 90
570
1080
260
415
Sep 50
660
1100
280
440
Dec 50
640
1400
310
480
Responding to Drought
• Since December of 2013, state and federal agencies that supply water,
protect fish and wildlife, and regulate water quality have worked together
daily to cope with drought. Together, these agencies have maximized
regulatory flexibility to adjust quickly to changes in the weather and
environment and bolster water supplies when possible while minimizing
impacts to fish and wildlife.
• In coordination with the State, Reclamation is making it a priority to
operate the CVP to first maintain salinity control in the Delta for 2014 and
2015, and provide for human health and safety as well as legal
requirements while ensuring the best possible use of limited water supplies,
also focusing on conservation actions and offering support and flexibility to
customers in managing the drought.
• A cornerstone for Reclamation actions this year is the 2014 CVP Water
Plan that includes a suite of actions, working with the state and federal
authorities, to facilitate water transfers, provide operational flexibility to
store and convey water, expedite required environmental reviews or
compliance actions, accelerate existing projects or pursue new projects to
help make the best use of limited water supplies, and meet with
stakeholders to discuss hydrology and operational flexibilities.
National Drought Resilience Partnership
• As called for in the President’s Climate Action Plan, the National Drought
Resilience Partnership (NDRP) is coordinating Federal preparedness for
drought and is working closely with the State of California, local
government, agriculture, and other partners to improve community
preparedness and resilience to drought.
• The NDRP includes representatives of DOI, Department of Agriculture,
Department of Commerce – NOAA, Federal Emergency Management
Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of
Energy.
• Although the NDRP has a nationwide focus, its key focus now is on
California because of the urgency of the state’s water situation.
• The NDRP is dedicated to helping communities better prepare for droughts
and reducing the impact of droughts on peoples’ livelihoods and the
economy.
Drought Funding
Announced by the President during his trip to CA in February:
• $100 million in livestock disaster assistance for California
producers.
• $5 million in targeted conservation assistance for the most extreme
and exceptional drought areas in California.
• $5 million in targeted Emergency Watershed Protection Program
assistance to the most drought impacted areas of California to
protect vulnerable soils.
• $60 million to food banks in the State of California to help families
that may be economically impacted by the drought.
• 600 summer meal sites in California's drought stricken areas.
• $3 million in Emergency Water Assistance Grants for rural
communities experiencing water shortages.
Drought Program
Water Conservation Programs
http://www.usbr.gov/waterconservation/
Drought Program
Basin Studies
http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/bsp/index.html
Drought Program
Title XVI: Water Reclamation and Reuse
Program
http://www.usbr.gov/lc/socal/titlexvi.html
Federal Legislative Proposals
• Multiple bills have been introduced in Congress
• Proposals include:
• Modifying ESA requirements on the CVP and SWP
• Modifying the San Joaquin River Restoration Program
• Authorizing construction of storage projects
• Additional drought assistance
• Reauthorizing the Reclamation States Emergency Drought
Relief Act of 1991
• Mandating water allocations based upon water year type
• Predator removal program
• One bill has passed the House but not the Senate. The other
bills are still in committee.
Questions