News release: Deepening drought prompts readoption of curtailment regulation for the Delta
With three consecutive years of drought reducing state and federal water project reservoirs to historic lows, the State Water Resources Control Board on Wednesday readopted measures for the Delta to protect drinking water supplies, prevent salinity intrusion and minimize impacts to fish and the environment. The State Water Board decision updating an emergency curtailment and reporting regulation authorizes staff to determine the amount of water available to certain right holders during the drought, preserving drinking water for 27 million Californians and the irrigation supply for more than three million acres of farmland.