SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the second snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. Following a dry January, the manual survey recorded 48.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 19 inches, which is 109 percent of average for this location for this date. The snow water […]
California Department of Water Resources
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Hyatt Powerplant at Oroville Dam Resumes Operation
OROVILLE, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced hydropower generation has resumed at the Hyatt Powerplant at Oroville Dam in Butte County. The powerplant was taken offline August 5 due to historic low lake levels driven by the state’s ongoing severe drought conditions. Recent storms have boosted lake levels and provided colder […]
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DWR: Early Winter Storms Provide Much-Needed Sierra Snowpack
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the first snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. Early winter storms this month provided a strong start to the season and some drought relief, but California remains in a drought. Today’s manual survey recorded 78.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of […]
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DWR Announces Initial State Water Project Allocation, Additional Actions to Prepare for Third Dry Year
SACRAMENTO, Calif. –Today, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced its initial State Water Project (SWP) allocation for 2022 along with several steps to manage the state’s water supply in anticipation of a third dry year with reservoirs at or near historic lows. Given the unprecedented drought conditions, the SWP’s initial allocation for December […]
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Temporary Power Generators Now Online to Support California’s Electricity Grid
Four temporary mobile emergency power generating units totaling 120 megawatts (MW) deployed by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) are online and ready to support California’s energy grid in times of extreme stress on the grid. Two units each have been temporarily installed at two sites in Northern California: Greenleaf Unit 1, operated by Calpine […]
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Statewide Snowpack Well Below Normal as Wet Season Winds Down
SACRAMENTO, Calif. April 1, 2021 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the fourth snow survey at the Phillips Station snow course. The manual survey recorded 49.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 21 inches, which is 83 percent of average for this location. The SWE measures the […]
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DWR Adjusts State Water Project Allocation Following Dry Winter
SACRAMENTO, Calif. March 23, 2021 – As California experiences a second consecutive dry year, today the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced an adjustment to its initial State Water Project (SWP) allocation for the 2021 water year. The department now expects to deliver 5 percent of requested supplies this year, down from the initial allocation […]
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FEMA Releases Additional Reimbursement Funds for Oroville Spillways Repairs and Reconstruction
SACRAMENTO, Calif. February 1, 2021 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has received notification that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released an additional $308 million in requested funds for the Oroville Dam spillways reconstruction and emergency response. These funds are in addition to the $260 million that FEMA has already committed to for […]
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From Dust to Pupfish: Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project Breaks Ground
Last week a fleet of bulldozers and other heavy equipment began the enormous task of moving roughly 5 million cubic yards of soil around a 4,110-acre area of dry lakebed at the southern end of the Salton Sea as part of the Species Conservation Habitat Project. The Species Conservation Habitat project is the first step toward achieving […]
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DWR Releases Initial State Water Project Allocation
SACRAMENTO, Calif. December 2, 2020 – With California off to a dry start for the water year, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced an initial State Water Project (SWP) allocation of 10 percent of requested supplies for the 2021 water year. Initial allocations are based on conservative assumptions regarding hydrology and factors such as […]
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State Water Project Allocation Increases to 20 Percent
SACRAMENTO, Calif. May 22, 2020 – The State Water Project (SWP) now expects to deliver 20 percent of requested supplies in 2020 thanks to above-average precipitation in May, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced today. An initial allocation of 10 percent was announced in December and increased to 15 percent in January. Today’s […]
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March Precipitation Not Enough to Offset Dry Winter
SACRAMENTO, Calif. April 1, 2020 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the fourth manual snow survey of 2020 at Phillips Station. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, DWR is providing video of the results in lieu of conducting a live media event on site. Today’s manual survey recorded 43.5 inches of snow […]
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DWR: Warm, Dry Conditions Lead to Below Average Snowpack and Precipitation
SACRAMENTO, Calif. February 27, 2020 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the third manual snow survey of 2020 at Phillips Station. The manual survey recorded 29 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 11.5 inches, which is 47 percent of the March average for this location. The SWE […]
Posted inCalifornia
State Water Project Allocation Increases to 15 Percent
SACRAMENTO, Calif. January 27, 2020 – The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced an increase in 2020 State Water Project (SWP) allocations to 15 percent of requested supplies, up from the year’s initial 10 percent allocation announced on December 2. Allocations are reviewed monthly based on snowpack and runoff information and are typically finalized by […]
Posted inRegional
Series of December Storms Provides Good Start to Sierra Snowpack
SACRAMENTO, Calif. January 2, 2020 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the first manual snow survey of 2020 at Phillips Station. The manual survey recorded 33.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 11 inches, which is 97 percent of average for this location. The SWE measures the […]
Posted inCalifornia
Water Year 2020 Begins with Robust Reservoir Storage
SACRAMENTO, Calif. October 1, 2019 – California begins a new water year today with significantly more water in storage than the previous year thanks to above-average snow and precipitation. Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s (SWP) largest reservoir, is currently at 102 percent of average for the date compared to just 62 percent of average […]
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San Luis Reservoir Algal Bloom at Danger Level – Public Urged to Avoid Water Contact, Not Eat Fish
SACRAMENTO, Calif. July 18, 2019 – Today, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) urged people to avoid physical contact with the water at San Luis Reservoir in Merced County until further notice and avoid eating fish from the lake due to the presence of blue-green algae. DWR increased the advisory from warning to danger after […]
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San Luis Reservoir Algal Bloom at “Danger” Level
SACRAMENTO, Calif. June 18, 2019 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is urging people to avoid physical contact with the water at San Luis Reservoir in Merced County until further notice due to blue-green algae. Boating is allowed, but swimming and other water-contact recreation and sporting activities are not considered safe under the danger […]
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Public Meetings on Permitting for Long-term Operations of the State Water Project Planned
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued notice that it will seek an updated environmental permit to operate the State Water Project through a state-based approach in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The department’s notice that it will prepare an Environmental Impact Report for long-term operation of […]
Posted inRegional
Snow Survey Boosts Runoff Predictions
SACRAMENTO, Calif. April 2, 2019 – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the fourth Phillips Station snow survey of 2019. The manual survey recorded 106.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 51 inches, which is 200 percent of average for this location. Statewide, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is […]