DROUGHT PROTECTION PLAN
voluntary agreements
Understanding the Drought protection plan (DPP)
Improving water supply reliability to benefit our farms, communities, economy, and the environment.
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A Plan for Critically Dry Years
The Drought Protection Program is a water reduction and infrastructure improvement agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that implements a voluntary water conservation and water acquisition program over the next two decades in response to drought conditions at Shasta Lake.
The program allows the Bureau of Reclamation to temporarily operate Shasta with a higher carry-over storage to manage temperatures in the river for the Winter-run Chinook Salmon while providing settlement contractors with more surface water reliability.
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Why is the Drought Protection Program Needed?
Unpredictable water years can lead to decisions by state and federal agencies and courts that can result in reductions to water supply that have devastating effects on the Sacramento Valley.
The agreement is needed to avoid repeating the impacts of 2022 when the Settlement Contractors received an 18% water supply from Reclamation. This resulted in 370,000 acres of farmland fallowed in the Sacramento Valley and little water for communities, fish and wildlife.
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How does the Drought Protection Program Work?
During the first 10-year span, the Settlement Contractors would reduce contract supply by up to 500,000 acre-feet during years the hydrologic conditions triggers are met. During the second ten-year term, up to 100,000 acre-feet would be held during years when the hydrologic conditions triggers are met.
DPP is only implemented when ALL of the following occurs:
1. Forecasted end-of-April Shasta Lake storage is less than 3.0 million acre-feet;
2. Forecasted end-of-September, for the current year, Shasta Lake storage is less than 2.0 million acre-feet;
3. Combined actual and forecasted natural inflow to Shasta Lake from October 1, of the prior year, through April 30, for the current year, is less than 2.5 million acre-feet; and
4. Reclamation forecasts a Critical Year under the Settlement Contractors
Compensation for Agreement:
The US Bureau of Reclamation provided $250 million to the Sacramento River Settlement Contractor non-profit Corporation which then disbursed that funding to landowners. More than half of the $250 million will be spent on drought resiliency projects.
Please consult your district’s/company’s general manager for individual questions on the program and related questions on funding, taxes and crop insurance.