![\"friant](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/friant-dam-ben.jpg\")
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Friant Dam, part of the federally run California Water Project. Photo by Ben Hensley<\/p>\n
Local farmers and Valley congressmen pushed back Thursday after the Bureau of Reclamation announced a meager 15% initial water allocation for Westlands Water District and other south-of-Delta Central Valley Project (CVP) irrigation contractors \u2014 a figure critics say defies current conditions on the ground.<\/p>\n
Westlands General Manager Allison Febbo acknowledged the Trump administration\u2019s stated commitment to water reliability while making clear the number falls short. \u201cA 15% water supply allocation does not reflect current hydrologic conditions and falls well short of what is needed to sustain the District\u2019s nearly 700 family-owned farms that feed the world,\u201d Febbo said, pointing to recent storms, improved snowpack and increased reservoir storage as evidence the allocation should be higher.<\/p>\n
The response from Capitol Hill was sharper. Reps. Jim Costa (CA-21) and Adam Gray (CA-13) \u2014 both Democrats facing midterm races in swing districts that cut through the heart of the Valley \u2014 issued a joint statement that took direct aim at the White House. \u201cThe President claimed he could deliver more water and yet that pledge rings hollow today,\u201d the congressmen said. \u201cThe Trump Administration\u2019s allocations are offensive to the farmers of the San Joaquin Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bureau of Reclamation cited a dry and warm January that significantly reduced Sierra Nevada snow accumulation, with statewide snowpack sitting at roughly 59% of the historical average, as justification for the conservative opening number. Reservoir storage, however, remains above average thanks to recent wet years, and federal officials noted that operational changes driven by executive order have already delivered more than 200,000 additional acre-feet to CVP contractors this cycle.<\/p>\n
Acting Regional Director Adam Nickels said the agency is watching closely. \u201cAs we receive and analyze updated data from these storms, particularly snowpack and runoff forecasts, we are hopeful conditions may improve,\u201d he said, leaving the door open to revised allocations as the spring runoff season develops.<\/p>\n
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