FRESNO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation announces an additional increase in the water supply allocation to the Friant Division contractors of their Class 1 water from 65
to 75 percent. The initial Friant Division water supply allocation announced on April 1, 2016, was 30 percent Class 1 water supply; an additional 100,000
acre-feet of Uncontrolled Season supply was made available to avert flood control concerns and needed to be delivered by the end of April. The Class 1
water supply allocation was subsequently increased from 30 to 40 percent on April 11, 2016, from 40 to 50 percent on April 21, 2016, and from 50 to 65
percent on May 6, 2016.
The Class 1 allocation increase was made possible by an agreement Reclamation reached with Friant Division contractors and others to exchange water from
the eastside of the San Joaquin Valley into San Luis Reservoir. The agreement helps to ensure that Reclamation can continue to meet existing contractual
obligations and commitments from San Luis Reservoir storage and water exports from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
“I am pleased to be able to increase the Friant Class 1 allocation in conjunction with an agreement that helps shore up South-of-Delta operation. We
understand the frustration many of our contractors on the west side San Joaquin Valley continue to experience," said Reclamation Mid-Pacific Regional
Director David Murillo. “I appreciate our contractors’ willingness to continue to work together to develop creative solutions to the many challenges we
collectively face in this difficult year."
Friant Division Class 1 water supply is generally considered the supply which can be dependably managed through storage regulation over the season and
delivered at the contractor’s convenience. The Class 1 supply will continue to be reassessed at weekly intervals until further notice.
For additional information, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
