Responding to record dry conditions and diminishing water supplies in the State’s major rivers and reservoirs, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) announced two key actions late last week to protect public health and safety from more severe water shortages, should extreme drought conditions continue.
State Water Board Executive Director Tom Howard has approved a petition to adjust water quality requirements in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta, allowing the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project to conserve water supplies in upstream reservoirs, and more effectively operate their facilities in response to ongoing drought conditions. In addition, the State Water Board announced that notices will be issued beginning next week to “junior priority” water-right holders to curtail their diversions of water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems. Both of these actions were included in the Governor’s recent Drought State of Emergency Declaration.
The State Water Board’s order approving the petition makes temporary urgency changes in the required amount of outflows into the Delta, enabling water to be conserved in reservoirs in case of continued drought. The order, while in effect for six months, will be updated on an as-needed basis as conditions evolve. As a result of the order, the State and Federal water projects will save approximately 150,000 acre feet of water in upstream reservoirs in February. The saved water will be available later in the year for uses in the public interest. If dry conditions persist, and this order is amended, an additional 150,000 acre feet of water will be preserved in March, and an even greater amount in April. Additional water savings can be achieved through a reduction in water deliveries.
Although the order is effective immediately, the State Water Board will hold a workshop February 18-19 to hear from the public and interested parties on the order or other actions that the Board should be taking.
The State Water Board, acting on instructions in the Governor’s Drought State of Emergency Declaration, notified water rights holders on January 17, 2014 that they may be ordered to halt or reduce water diversions if drought conditions worsen. Next week, the State Water Board will begin issuing formal curtailment notices. The first notices will be sent to junior water-right holders in the Sacramento/San Joaquin watershed. All information will be posted on the State Water Board’s drought webpage as soon as it has been released.
For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at 916.447.4806 or kmannion@rcrcnet.org.