USBR Urges Central Valley Project Contractors to Prepare for Fourth Dry Year

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is asking its contractors receiving Central Valley Project water for municipal and industrial use to begin planning for potentially extremely limited water supply conditions in 2023. Despite the early storms that California experienced in November, drought conditions continue. Conservative planning efforts will help better manage the limited water resources in the event conditions remain dry and the state moves into a fourth consecutive drought year. The Central Valley Project began the 2023 water year Oct. 1 with water storage reservoirs near historic lows. Shasta Reservoir — the state’s largest reservoir and cornerstone of the Central Valley Project — is