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E-mail StoryState water agency sees allocation shortage for 2008
| Monday, Nov 26 2007 10:45 PM
Last Updated: Monday, Nov 26 2007 10:49 PM
State Water Project allocations next year could be the lowest since 2003, the Department of Water Resources announced Monday.
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The department estimates allocations in 2008 will be 25 percent, or just more than 1 million acre feet.
The department's initial allocations are conservative estimates and tend to rise, but dry weather may also cause the predicted allocation to go down.
Low allocation could hurt Kern County farmers and may also draw down reserves that supply potable water to some Bakersfield residents.
Bakersfield-area municipal water suppliers that rely on state water can withstand a short-term shortage in state water, but a prolonged shortage would significantly draw down the reserves, said Jim Beck, general manager of the Kern County Water Agency.
"We are hopeful that the State Water Project allocation will be increased in the coming months," Beck said.
The Kern County Water Agency is one of the largest participants in the State Water Project, contracting for water on behalf of agricultural, municipal and industrial water districts in Kern County.