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Central Valley Project begins 2018 water year with 8.9 million acre-feet of storage
Media Contact: Erin Curtis, 916-978-5100,
eccurtis@usbr.gov
For Release: October 12, 2017
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project began water year 2018, which runs from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018, with 8.9 million acre-feet of water in six key CVP reservoirs (Trinity, Shasta, Folsom, New Melones, Millerton, and the federal share of the joint federal-state San Luis Reservoir). This is 145 percent of the 15-year average annual carryover of 6.2 million acre-feet and 4 million acre-feet more than the amount with which the Mid-Pacific Region began WY 2017.
"2017 was an incredible water year, and we are pleased to have bountiful water supplies," said Regional Director David Murillo. "Now we are focusing on balance. We are heading into winter with our reservoir levels at a safe place with respect to flood control, should we experience another wet winter. At the same time, we believe we have conserved healthy storage levels in the event that we have a dry winter."
The table below shows capacities and end-of-year storages in WY 2016 and WY 2017 for key CVP reservoirs; the next table compares end-of-year storages from WY 2013 to WY 2017. The amount of stored water at the end of the water year reflects the amount carried over into the new water year. One acre-foot is the volume of water sufficient to cover an acre of land to a depth of 1 foot, enough water to sustain a typical California household of four for one year. In spring 2018, Reclamation anticipates making a preliminary assessment of WY 2018 CVP water supply conditions.
https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=60673
