From the San Joaquin River Restoration Program:
The Bureau of Reclamation has released an initial Restoration Allocation & Default Flow Schedule for the period March 1, 2022 through February 28, 2023.
Using the best available forecasting information for precipitation and runoff above Millerton Lake, the Restoration Allocation covering the period March 1, 2022 through February 28, 2023 is set at 315,297 acre-feet at Gravelly Ford and is a Normal-Wet year type – a marked improvement from last year’s Critical-High year type. The Restoration Allocation will be adjusted throughout the season, either increasing or decreasing, with the final allocation issued in May. This corresponds to an Unimpaired Runoff hybrid forecast of 1,678,000 AF using a 30/70 blending of the CA Department of Water Resources and National Weather Service 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 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 finalized in May or June.
The Initial 2022 Restoration Allocation & Default Flow Schedule can be viewed here: https://www.restoresjr.net/?wpfb_dl=2614
For 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.
