Water contractors disappointed, frustrated by small increases in allocations
Increased water allocations from systems that move water from northern to southern California were met with disappointment and frustration from contractors. Both the Department of Water Resources and Bureau of Reclamation increased allocations this week to 40% of contracted amounts, going up 10% and 5%, respectively. With nearly all the state’s reservoirs filled to above average levels, the increases were seen as stingy, at best. “This allocation increase is incredibly disappointing and should be much higher,” said Kern County Water Agency Board of Directors President Ted Page in a press release. … The presence of the fish “triggered state and federal regulations” that put an automatic crimp on pumping, the release states. Page objected to that sort of snap regulatory reaction saying the restrictions are “based on outdated fish population estimating tools.”
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