From the San Joaquin River Restoration:
The Bureau of Reclamation has released an initial Restoration Allocation & Default Flow Schedule for the period March 1, 2019 through February 28, 2020. Using the best available forecasting information for precipitation and runoff above Millerton Lake, Reclamation sets the initial allocation at 218.874 thousand acre-feet (TAF) as measured at Gravelly Ford. This corresponds to 335.819 TAF at Friant Dam including the expected Holding Contracts below Friant Dam. This is a “Normal-Dry” Water Year Type and is based on an unimpaired inflow into Millerton of 971 TAF using a 30/70 blending of the DWR and NWS runoff forecasts and the 75% exceedance forecast.
The Restoration Administrator for the Program will return a recommendation based on this allocation in the coming days. The current hydrologic situation is dynamic, with dry conditions expected through the first half of February. The Restoration Allocation will be adjusted accordingly as hydrologic conditions change and may be reduced or increased. The Restoration Flow Guidelines provide detailed guidance on the allocation process. We anticipate multiple updates to the Restoration Allocation will be made throughout the spring until the final allocation is set at the end of June 2019.
Until March 1, 2019, Restoration Flows will continue under the 2018 Restoration Allocation and associated Restoration Administrator Recommendations, unless the Restoration Administrator opts to advance part of the 2019 allocation volume into February.
- The Initial 2019 Restoration Allocation & Default Flow Schedule can be viewed here: http://www.restoresjr.net/?wpfb_dl=2260For Information about Restoration Flows, please visit http://www.restoresjr.net/restoration-goal/restoration-flows/.
- For the Restoration Administrator recommendations, please visit http://www.restoresjr.net/documentsreports/ra-recommendations/
- For additional information about the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, please visit http://www.restoresjr.net or contact Josh Newcom, Public Affairs Specialist, at 916-978-5508 or snewcom@usbr.gov.
Click here to view all posted announcements.
Get the Notebook blog by email and never miss a post!
Sign up for daily emails and get all the Notebook’s aggregated and original water news content delivered to your email box by 9AM. Breaking news alerts, too. Sign me up!
