California farmers to get more water
California farmers and cities are set to get more water, as state and federal officials ease drought-related water cutbacks because of recent rain and snow.
The Department of Water Resources announced on Friday that it was increasing water allotments from the State Water Project from zero to 5 percent of what water districts had requested. The State Water Project supplies water to 29 public agencies serving more than 25 million Californians and irrigates nearly a million acres of farmland.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said it would supply 75 percent of the water requested by water agencies in the Sacramento Valley, up from the current 40 percent.
Federal and state officials said rain and snow from storms in February and March allowed them to increase their water allotments.