United States Department of the Interior

BURFAU OF RECLAMATION

Mid-Pacific Regional Office

2800 Cottage Way

Sacramento, California 95825-1898

MP -440

WTR-4.OO

FEB 1 7 1994

To: All Interested Persons, Organizations, and Agencies

From: Gary T. Sackett

Regional Supervisor of Water

and Power Resources Management

Subject: Draft Municipal and Industrial Water Shortage Policy for the

Central Valley Project

Enclosed is a copy of Reclamation’s Mid-Pacific Region draft Municipal and

Industrial (M&I) water shortage policy. The Region’s goal in drafting this

policy was to provide reliability for M&I contractors and if possible limit

M&I water shortages to sensible levels. Please review and comment on the

enclosed M&I water shortage policy by March 18, 1994.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Betty Riley at (916) 978-5036

(TDD 978-4417). You will be provided a copy of the M&I water shortage policy

once the policy has been finalized.

IN REPLY

REFER TO:

Enclosure
FINAL DRAFT

CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT

M&I WATER SHORTAGE PROVISIONS

December 3, 1993

This policy is provisional/interim until yield studies are available for reexamining municipal and

industrial (M&I) water shortage provisions.

There may occur at times a shortage during any year in the quantity of water made available to

the contractor by the United States through and by means of the Central Valley Project (CVP).

The cause of the water shortage may be drought, unavoidable causes, or restricted operations

resulting from legal obligations.

Overall there will be three Levels of shortages. Water shortages will be in the range of each

Level. The purpose of Level 1 is to respond primarily to non-weather related shortages. Level

2 is to respond to weather related shortages. Level 3 is to respond to severe water shortage

emergencies, reflecting significant disruption of normal agricultural and community business

activities.

M&I water allocations may differ between division of the CVP north and south of the Delta,

provided that annual allocations to divisions north and south of the Delta will be within the same

Level with the same minimum allocation, unless spevific operational constraints occur north of

the Delta which do not allow a division the same minimum allocation as other CVP divisions

north of the Delta. Agricultural water allocations may differ between divisions of the CVP north

and south of the Delta.

Level 1 - Regulatory Impacts Only.

The upper limit for M&I water allocations will be 100 percent of contract entitlement, and the

lower limit for M&I water allocations will be 75% of entitlement, or 85% of historic use,

whichever is greater. Historic usage is calculated as the average CVP water deliveries during

the last three years of normal water deliveries, adjusted for growth. The lower limit for

agricultural water allocations is not specified.

Level 2 - Regulatory Plus Drought Impacts.

The lower limit for M&I water allocations will be 75 percent of historic use. Historic usage is

calculated from average CVP water deliveries during the last three years of normal water

deliveries, adjusted for growth. Level 2 will not be imposed when the Contracting Officer

determines that there is a wet or above average hydrologic year, as defined using the Sacramento

River Index (40-30-30 Index). The lower limit for agricultural water allocations is not

specified, and agricultural water allocations may go to Level 3 prior to M&I water allocations

leaving Level 2.
FINAL DRAFT Page 2 of 2

CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT

M&I WATER SHORTAGE PROVISIONS

December 3, 1993

Level 3 - Minimum Public Health and Safety Only

M&I water allocations will go to public health and safety levels as calculated by the Contractor

in their water conservation plan which meets the plan evaluation criteria set by the United States

pursuant to Section 3405(e) of PLlO2-575. Water allocations to Refuges would be reduced to

allow M&I public health and safety allocationsto continue. Water allocated for fish and wildlife

activities pursuant to PL 102-575 will also fall below 600,000 acre-feet in order to meet M&I

public health and safety water allocations. Agricultural water allocations will be determined on

a case-by-case basis for sustaining the life of trees and vines.