Southern California cities can get 50% of their full water distribution from the state water project’s aqueduct this year, which is 40% last month as runoff filled with heavy snow this year continues to fill Northern California’s reservoirs.

“Our complete reservoir will allow us to help meet the needs of this year’s state water project contractors and their clients and provide some water supply when they return next year,” state water resources director Karla Nemeth said in a statement Tuesday.

The state water project’s aqueducts and pipelines transport water from the Sacramento Mountain Joaquin River Delta to cities and other agencies, serving 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.

Lake Oroville is the largest reservoir to supply water for state water projects and is now 95% full, with the increasing number of Nevada's Sierra Mountains as snow melts runs and is expected to continue to rise. The Ministry of Water Resources of the State Council said the reservoir will reach full load for the third consecutive year this spring.

The department said the state's snow accumulation in Sierra was exactly 100% of the April 4 season. The average winter and spring follow extremely wet and snowy 2023 and wet 2024.

California last time Three consecutive years According to state water officials, average or above average snowfall is from 1998 to 2000.

Southern California’s metropolitan waters will provide supplies to cities and other agencies from the state water projects and the Colorado River, with water from record reservoirs and underground storage areas this year.

this Increase water distribution in the state The announcement governed the supply of the federal Central Valley project following a similar announcement from the Trump administration on Monday. US Bureau of Reclamation Increase water distribution For agricultural water agencies south of the Delta, 50% of their total allocation is higher than 40% a month ago.

The water agency manager said the increased supply was welcome news, but the limited allocation still showed the constraints they believed should be addressed.

State water contractor general manager Jennifer Pierre said she and others “still believe that California needs more operational flexibility to make the most of the storm.”

“The delta exports operate less than half the capacity, while state water contractors continue to pay 100% of the system’s operating and maintenance costs,” Pierre said. “This mismatch of hydrology and supply requires immediate attention and science-based action to preserve environmental protection while also increasing the supply of storage when reservoirs overflow.”

Environmental advocates say they are worried about increased pumping.

Pumping operations for water supply “continue to have a serious impact on local fish, and this year is no exception,” said Ashley Overhouse, a water policy consultant for the defenders of the Wildlife Group.