Category Archives: SWP Allocation

Listen to the Tree Rings on Sacramento River Hydrology

With a third and extreme year of drought, how will future hydrologic conditions compare to current ones? There are two strands of thought suggesting a challenging future:

  • the 20th Century was an unusually wet period
  • climate change will confront water managers with more severe drought conditions in the future

For the Sacramento River watershed in California, there is unexpected good news. While California must confront variability in hydrologic conditions, Department of Water Resources’ recently released tree-ring data suggesting that current severe drought conditions do not signal that California will be facing more severe hydrologic conditions in the future. Continue reading →

Rethinking California Part III: Back to the Drawing Boards on Water Supply Availability?

What happens when the impossible happens?  Does prudence dictate that one revisit expectations?  The existing drought in California has understandably distracted the water industry.  With multi-billion infrastructure investments on the horizon and the foundation of the California economy hanging in the balance, responsible decision-making must reconsider analyses of California’s water supply availability. Continue reading →

March Rains Increases Hydrowonk’s Prediction of Final SWP Allocation to 23%

Mother Nature’s generosity to California extended into March where precipitation was about average (which in California seems like a deluge these days).  This March precipitation was greater than used in Hydrowonk’s predictions.  So, Hydrowonk’s updated prediction for the expected Final SWP Allocation:  23%

Monthly Precip

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Updated Forecast of Final California SWP Allocation: 20%

Mother Nature was kind to California in February where monthly precipitation exceeded averages for the first month this water year (monthly chart).  This higher precipitation increases Hydrowonk’s prediction of the expected final SWP Allocation to 20%.  There is a reasonable chance that the final SWP Allocation will be zero.

Monthly Northern Sierra Precipitation Continue reading →