Spring 2023 flooding file photo

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released its initial 2024 water allocation of 10% on Friday, based on a forecast that recent conditions could continue.

“California’s water year is off to a relatively dry start. While we are hopeful that this El Niño pattern will generate wet weather, this early in the season we have to plan with drier conditions in mind,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth.

DWR operates the State Water Project, which supplies water to 750,000 acres of farmland and 27 million Californians.

DWR officials say it is common for the initial allocation forecast to be low following very wet years, as happened in 2018 and 2020.

Thanks to record rainfall, water contractors received a 100% allocation this past April — the first time that has happened since 2006.

California’s reservoir storage remains at above-average levels after the rains this year, with Lake Oroville — the largest State Water Project reservoir — at 133% of average storage.

San Luis Reservoir remains at 109% of average.

Water was also stored below ground — more than 3.8 million acre-feet of estimated groundwater recharge, according to DWR.

The State Water Contractors, which represents 27 public agencies that buy supplies from the State Water Project, said in a statement Friday that flexibility in water management is key to achieving climate resiliency.

“We support the Governor’s ‘all of the above’ approach to improve the way we manage water through climate change, modernizing our 60-year-old water infrastructure through the Delta Conveyance Project and implementing the Voluntary Agreements — known as the Agreements for Healthy Rivers and Landscapes — to better manage flows for the environment and the communities that depend on the State Water Project,” stated Jennifer Pierre, general manager of the State Water Contractors.

“We need to store water when it’s wet, so we can use it when it’s dry. We can support sensitive fish species with reservoir releases while ensuring enough water to make sure that people can still run their homes, farms and businesses that underpin our entire economy,” Pierre added.