Westside farmers get 5% initial water allocation

Feb. 25—HANFORD — The Bureau of Reclamation announced Tuesday the initial 2021 water supply allocation for Central Valley Project contractors, and west side farmers will receive the lowest initial amount since 2015.

Kings County farmers in Westlands Water District and farmers in other agricultural districts south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta will get only 5% of their historic water allotment, Reclamation officials said.

Westlands Water District includes about 40,000 acres in western Kings County, most of which are used to grow permanent crops like almonds and pistachios.

Allocation amounts are based on an estimate of water available for delivery to CVP water users and reflect current reservoir storage, precipitation, and snowpack in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada. This year's low allocation is an indicator of the dry winter California is experiencing after the dry water year of 2020.

The California Department of Water Resources reported that as of Feb. 21, statewide average snow water content in the Sierra Nevada was 54% of the April 1 average. Current Northern Sierra precipitation is 52% of the seasonal average to date.

"Although we had a couple of precipitation-packed storms in January and early February, we are still well below normal for precipitation and snowfall this year," said Regional Director Ernest Conant. "We will monitor the hydrology as the water year progresses and continue to look for opportunities for operational flexibility."

Tom Birmingham, Westlands general manager, said the announcement was no surprise given current hydrologic conditions and regulations that restrict operations of the Central Valley Project, but said it was devastating nonetheless for farmers and communities across the region that rely on water from the CVP and jobs created by irrigated agriculture.

Westlands is among the South-of-Delta contractors that, together, hold contracts with Reclamation for approximately 3 million acre-feet (977 billion gallons) of water. Over the last 10 years, Westlands and other South-of-Delta agricultural repayment and water service contractors have received a 100% allocation of water only once and have received a 0% allocation two times.

On average, these contractors have received less than a 40% allocation of water over the past decade.

Westlands officials said recent studies have shown that reductions in surface water availability in the Central Valley can cause approximately 194,000 acres of land to be taken out of production, more than $1.3 billion in lost crop revenue and thousands of job losses.

Lack of surface water also increases reliance on groundwater and can have negative impacts on drinking water availability and quality — particularly in disadvantaged communities, they said.

Since 2017, Westlands said it has invested $14.2 million in its water infrastructure system, which measures every drop of water and minimizes losses caused by seepage and evaporation.

"With the announcement of this year's initial allocation, Westlands remains more committed than ever to ensuring that every drop of water available to the district is put to beneficial use," Birmingham added. "A 5% allocation, although better than zero, will result in a human and economic disaster for families on the west side of the Valley and could result in major strains for the nation's food supply."

Westlands officials said past studies indicate that statewide economic losses as a result of California's 2014-2016 drought totaled $3.8 billion, with thousands of jobs lost in the Central Valley alone and many rural drinking water wells running dry.

Furthermore, they said parts of the Central Valley Project infrastructure that carry water to Westlands have lost up to 30% of their conveyance capacity over time due to subsidence. Combined with higher operational and power costs, they said this can result in millions of dollars in higher costs to convey less water through the system every year.

Congressman David Valadao (R-Hanford) called the initial allocation a "devastating blow" to Central Valley users who are already struggling. He said Central Valley farmers and communities have endured disproportionately low water allocations for many years, with contractors receiving well below their contracted supply even during wet years.

"Agriculture in the Central Valley drives our local economy, provides tens of thousands of jobs, and produces food for the entire world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, farm workers have sacrificed their health and safety to keep our families fed," Valadao said. "Now, the Bureau of Reclamation threatens this supply of food and countless livelihoods. The Central Valley farming community has survived devastating drought conditions and burdensome regulations for decades; however, our farms cannot survive without greater water allocations for South-of-Delta agriculture. It is critical allocations of California's water supply reflect the needs of these farms so they many continue to produce the food our nation relies on."

As the water year progresses, Reclamation said changes in hydrology and opportunities to deliver additional water will influence future allocations.

The reporter can be reached at julissazavala@hanfordsentinel.com