SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Department of Water Resources announced an increase in state water allocations Thursday.
In early December, the allocation was set at 5% of the requested water supply but the number has now been increased to 30%, or 1.27 million acre feet.
The wet period from late December to mid January helped to fill reservoirs and boost snowpack in the Sierra. The allocation increase, which is updated monthly before being finalized in May or June, provides more water to local water agencies.
Depending on how wet or dry the rest of the winter is, the allocation will be updated by the time it is finalized. The allocation projections are based on current reservoir storage and a conservative runoff forecast, according to the DWR. The lowest water allocation was in Dec. 2021, when 0% was allocated, designating water use only to meet human health and safety needs.
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