• The 2025 SWP allocation rises from 5% to 15%.
• November and December storms improved reservoir levels.
• The next forecast update is expected in January.

December 26, 2024 — The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) reported an updated State Water Project (SWP) allocation forecast for 2025 this week. The allocation is now 15 percent of requested supplies, an increase from the 5 percent announced earlier this month. The SWP supplies water to 29 public agencies serving 27 million Californians.

“The past several weeks has brought welcome rain and snow to Northern California and these improved conditions have allowed the State Water Project to increase the allocation forecast to the benefit of millions of Californians,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “While we typically wait to provide an update until January, we felt it important to let our State Water Contractors know of the increase as soon as possible to allow them to better plan their water supply for the year ahead.”

Weather and Water Gains.

Late November and early December storms pushed statewide precipitation levels slightly above average. Reservoirs have risen due to the steady rainfall, which had not been fully factored into the initial December 2 allocation forecast because the data came in afterward.

“California is still in the early months of our wet season and as recent history has shown, conditions can change quickly,” said Dr. Michael Anderson, State Climatologist. “While Northern California has benefitted from early season storms, dry conditions in the new year can leave us with below average totals when warmer weather arrives.”

What Comes Next.

DWR revises SWP allocation forecasts each month, factoring in snowpack, rainfall, runoff, and storage. The final allocation typically arrives in May or June, once winter and early spring data are complete. According to DWR officials, if rain and snowfall continue, the allocation may rise further. The next update will likely come in January, guided by the initial snow surveys of the season. Further details, including the notice to State Water Contractors, are posted on the DWR website.

~~~

Image:

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, jointly managed by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service, encompasses nearly 331,000 acres of public land in the heart of northern California’s Inner Coast Range. Rising from near sea level in the south to over 7,000 feet in the mountainous north, and stretching across nearly 100 miles and dozens of ecosystems, the area possesses a richness of species that is among the highest in California and has established the area as a biodiversity hotspot. A part of the BLM’s National Conservation Lands, the Monument offers a wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, off-highway vehicle use, horseback riding, mountain biking and rafting.  Photographed December 2020 by Bureau of Land Manaagement California.  Licensed under public domain.

Related posts:

500 groups express frustration over delays in farm bill renewal Reclamation invests $4.6 million in snow monitoring projects BLM to boost monitoring with a $17.6 million investment Contractors selected to build major desalination expansion