News Release Archive

Reclamation Increases the Friant Division 2016 Class 1 Water Supply Allocation to 65 Percent

Media Contact: Shane Hunt, 916-978-5100, shunt@usbr.gov

For Release: May 06, 2016

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 50 to 65 percent. The initial Friant Division water supply allocation announced on April 1, 2016, was 30 percent Class 1water 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, and from 40 to 50 percent on April 21, 2016, pursuant to prior notifications to Friant Division contractors.

Class 1 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.

Reclamation is able to make this announcement and notify Friant Division Class 1 contractors of their increase in water supply based upon improved forecasted hydrologic conditions, commercial power operations in the Upper San Joaquin River Basin, current storage in Millerton Lake, and continued cooler weather demand patterns.

For additional information, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.