From the Kern County Water Agency:
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced today that it will increase the State Water Project (SWP) water delivery allocation from 0 to 5 percent. This means that SWP water users in Kern County will now receive 49,137 acre-feet of SWP water in 2014.
“Every acre-foot of water is critical to Kern County residents, farms and businesses,” said Kern County Water Agency (Agency) Board of Directors President Ted Page.
“The Agency and our local water users are very appreciative of DWR’s efforts to provide even this small amount of water. During this unprecedented drought crisis, Kern County has been using every available asset to meet local needs. This additional water will not only meet the direct needs of local water users, but will also allow much more flexibility in the utilization of Kern County’s world-class groundwater banking and water transportation facilities, and other water supply programs. It’s a big help in how we will manage water this year,” added Page.
Water managers throughout the state have been diligently and aggressively responding to this the third, and most severe, year of drought conditions. The Agency and other SWP contractors have been working with DWR on water management strategies, including ways to free up an SWP allocation above the zero mark. However, water storage in the State’s major reservoirs and runoff projections remain well below average. Clearly, the overall picture is still bleak.
The SWP allocation last year was 35 percent. Over the last eight years, the average SWP allocation was a meager 42.5 percent.
Kern County’s contracted SWP amount is 982,730 acre-feet per year. Even with this allocation increase, Kern County will still pay for 933,594 acre-feet of water it will not receive this year. Kern County and other SWP contractors must pay all of their SWP contract costs, regardless of whether any water is received, and pay additional costs for any water received (transportation costs, etc.).
This year, Kern County SWP water entities will pay approximately $1,500 per acre-foot of actual water received, which represents a total of $69 million of water not received.
“Even with the increased allocation, we are in a very difficult situation because our groundwater reserves are being depleted,” said Agency General Manager Jim Beck. “Our growers are facing unbelievable financial hardships, including paying a $69 million bill for water they won’t be receiving this year from the SWP.”
From the Metropolitan Water District:
Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, issues the following statement regarding the California Department of Water Resource’s announcement today that State Water Project supplies this year from Northern California will be 5 percent of a full allocation:
“We are heading into the long, hot, dry summer months with the lowest allocation ever on our State Water Project supplies. The lack of available water from Northern California underscores the severity of the ongoing drought and the very, very serious need to conserve water. Metropolitan was fortunate to enter this drought with sizeable water reserves. But those reserves are slowly dropping as they are used by our 26 member public agencies and the 19 million people they serve. Lowering demand is the one thing each and every one of us can do to ensure that our reserves will be sufficient to withstand a drought that has no end in sight.
“Today’s announcement does not materially change the historic nature of this drought and the ongoing water challenge for Southern California and all of the state. Metropolitan appreciates the challenge facing numerous state and federal agencies to manage California’s remaining water resources in the most responsible and efficient manner possible.”
From the State Water Contractors:
“The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced today that the allocation for State Water Project (SWP) supplies will be increased from zero to five percent, though water agencies will not be able to access these supplies until after September. The previous zero percent allocation was the first time in the history of the SWP that such an allocation was announced. While a five percent allocation remains historically low and a slim fraction of the water deliveries that SWP contactors pay for in full, the increase is welcomed. Twenty-six million people and 750,000 acres of farmland depend on the SWP for a significant portion of their water supplies. The additional water allocations announced today will provide increased flexibility for SWP contractors and improve local water management efforts.
Below is a statement on the increased allocation from State Water Contractors General Manager Terry Erlewine:
“As water agencies continue to struggle with managing historically low water supplies, today’s increased allocation will help temper some of the most severe impacts of the drought. This additional water only amounts to the bare minimum of what is needed to ensure the most at-risk districts don’t run out of water and gives all agencies some increased flexibility for water management. While good news in the short term, the water supply outlook remains bleak and water agencies will continue to take steps to mitigate against the ongoing impacts of the drought.”
