October 30, 2023 - The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) reports after a strong 2022-23 water year, which concluded on October 1st, both the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) are reporting some of the healthiest water storage levels at key reservoirs in several years. Both projects were able to deliver 100% of contracted supply to project contractors by mid-year 2023; and, the continued strength of surface storage heading into the 2023-24 winter season, where precipitation totals are again expected to be above average, has project managers optimistic for continued delivery at full allocation levels well into 2024.
The federal Central Valley Project, in particular, benefitted from healthy rainfall this past year. This resulted in near-record storage, allowing project authorities to extend delivery to non-priority contractors, such as those holding Section 215 agreements with U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. While the total 2023 year-end storage for the project (slightly more than 8-million-acre feet stored at project reservoirs) falls short of the record years in 1983 and 2019 (both exceeding 9-million-acre feet stored), project authorities are optimistic a second wet winter may allow 2024 to reach or surpass those previous records.
State Water Project (SWP) authorities also reported a near-banner year in 2023, with increasing optimism for strong supply into 2024. At a press conference recapping the 2022-23 water year, Department of Water Resources (DWR) Director, Karla Nemeth, reported the SWP was able to deliver full allocations to its 29 agency contractors and its several agricultural contractors. In addition, SWP Deputy Director, Ted Craddock, highlighted the project’s record year for off-stream and underground storage, with nearly 400,000-acre feet diverted to groundwater storage alone. Agencies contracted with the project applied for over a million-acre feet in permits for local groundwater storage projects, though DWR was unable to verify how much total storage was achieved through permits to local agencies.
Overall, project managers remain optimistic that longer-term supplies will continue to be bolstered by sturdy surface and groundwater storage as El Nino sets in for the 2023-24 water year. However, these authorities are also reminding the public that if precipitation arrives in California through warmer, more rapid, and intense rain events, as opposed to arriving by way of the winter storms that traditionally accumulate as Sierra snowpack, water storage may not be fully optimized into 2024 and 2025, since intense rainfall events typically trigger flood-control obligations that require project managers to release higher amounts of water in the spring. 
ABOUT RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA (RCRC)
The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is a thirty-seven member county strong service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. RCRC is dedicated to representing the collective unique interests of its membership, providing legislative and regulatory representation at the State and Federal levels, and providing responsible services for its members to enhance and protect the quality of life in rural California counties. To learn more about RCRC, visit rcrcnet.org and follow @RuralCounties on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
