From the Bureau of Reclamation:
Reclamation will begin releases from Friant Dam near Fresno into the San Joaquin River today to help meet contractual obligations to deliver Central Valley Project water to the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley.
The San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors, who have senior water rights, receive their water supply primarily from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta via the Delta-Mendota Canal under contract with the United States dating back to 1939. Due to widespread drought conditions in California and limited water supply availability from the Delta, releases from Friant Dam are planned this year pursuant to the contract to supplement water deliveries. Similar operations occurred during the previous drought in 2014 and 2015.
San Joaquin River releases from Friant Dam will increase today from about 680 cubic-feet-per-second to 930 cfs. Releases will increase incrementally throughout the spring with sustained releases over the summer of more than 1,700 cfs depending on system conditions and downstream structural safety requirements. Restoration flows pursuant to the San Joaquin River Restoration Program will be reduced or ceased during these releases.
The public is strongly encouraged to monitor flow conditions if recreating on or near the San Joaquin River and exercise caution; the water is cold, and currents will be strong. Flows of this planned magnitude have not occurred since 2019.
