The U.S. Drought Monitor has declared California free of drought for the first time in 25 years, but Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, said Tuesday farmers still need a strong allocation of irrigation water.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile I am pleased to hear that California is currently alleviated of drought conditions, this marks a crucial moment to ensure that our farmers, ranchers, and dairymen and women receive a strong allocation in the coming weeks,\u201d Costa said in a news release. \u201cAgriculture in the San Joaquin Valley heavily depends on an early and robust water allocation to not only secure financing for the year, but determine whether certain row crops and permanent crops can be planted. Due to recent atmospheric rivers, California\u2019s reservoirs are nearly at capacity, and precipitation has far exceeded previous averages. Such conditions must be reflected in the coming water allocation from the Bureau of Reclamation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will continue to work with state and federal officials to ensure that the Central Valley Project and State Water Project are operated utilizing real-time adaptive management practices, not outdated assumptions. We have continually invested in expanding and improving upon California\u2019s water storage and conveyance infrastructure. Operations of such infrastructure must reflect these favorable conditions,\u201d Costa added.<\/p>\n