California will see increases in water supply allocations through the network of canals, reservoirs, and pumping stations that move water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to various parts of the state. The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) have updated the 2025 allocations in the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP), respectively.
The Bureau of Reclamation has announced that its initial CVP allocation for farmers on the west side of the Central Valley south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta is "more than twice what the initial allocation was in 2024, a year with similar hydrology". The improved outlook stems from atmospheric rivers earlier this winter and favourable reservoir conditions at the start of the water year. Nonetheless, the Bureau highlighted significant hydrological variability, with an "extremely wet November followed by an exceptionally dry January."
Operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the CVP primarily serves agricultural water users in the Central Valley but also provides water for municipal, industrial, and environmental uses, delivering water to 3 million acres of farmland and serving over 6 million Californians.
"Recent atmospheric rivers and the good condition of most of our reservoirs going into this water year have benefited our water supply outlook; however, the San Joaquin Basin has experienced critically dry conditions this winter," said California-Great Basin Regional Director Karl Stock. "Initial allocations reflect this significant variation across the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys."
Reclamation’s 2025 allocations include 100% of contract totals for north-of-Delta irrigation, municipal, and industrial contractors. South-of-Delta irrigation contractors are allocated 35% of their contract total, while municipal and industrial contractors south-of-Delta receive 75% of their historical use or public health and safety needs, whichever is greater.
The California Department of Water Resources, meanwhile, has increased the SWP allocation forecast to 35% of requested supplies, up from 20% in January. The SWP – operated by DWR – provides water to 29 public water agencies serving 27 million Californians and irrigating 750,000 acres of farmland. This latest allocation accounts for precipitation and snowpack through early February.
"California is experiencing a winter of extremes. We've seen predominately dry conditions broken up by very wet, short storm events. Those conditions mean we must move as much water when it’s available and as safely as possible," said DWR Director Karla Nemeth.
Infrastructure remains a priority, with projects like the proposed Sites Reservoir and Delta Conveyance Project cited as essential to boost long-term water reliability. "Ultimately it will require new infrastructure to move and store enough water for California as dry spells last longer and wet periods become shorter and flashier," Nemeth added.
In February, flood control operations at Lake Oroville coincided with the storage of an additional 300,000 acre-feet of water, bringing the reservoir to 84% capacity. Similarly, San Luis Reservoir reached 81% capacity, a pumping increase made possible by increased flexibility in new operating permits.
Both agencies noted that allocations are subject to change as conditions evolve. Reclamation and DWR plan to continue monitoring hydrology and updating forecasts through spring.
