Sierra Snowpack Loosens Drought Restrictions

[bridgit]

'Environment & The Green BeatSACRAMENTO

A channel carries water past central valley farms.


The deepest Sierra Nevada snowpack in four years let California water officials increase deliveries to farmers and cities on Tuesday, after three years of drought that have forced restrictions on water use.

The state Department of Water Resources, which provides water to 25 million Californians and 750,000 agricultural acres, increased this summer's water deliveries to 40 percent of the amount requested. That's up from a projected 30 percent allocation last month.

The federal Bureau of Reclamation made the same boost in water allocation Tuesday for agricultural water contractors it serves south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Most other federal contractors, which include wildlife refuges and farms, cities and industrial users north of the delta, will receive all or most of the water they requested.'

http://cbs5.com/environment/sierra.snow.drought.2.1674172.html