Agricultural Water Management Council - $350 Million Estimated Losses

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$350 Million Estimated Losses

Estimate total losses from the pumping restrictions to have cost California's economy from the pumping
restrictions at $350 million, including decreased farm production as well as job losses in agriculture and
landscaping. The final impacts of this year will not be known until the growing season is over.

Water Rationing

Turlock Irrigation District – 37 percent cut

in agricultural water allocations

Merced Irrigation District growers receive

2.5 acre-feet of water per acre (industry

standard water requirements for almonds

is 3 acre-feet per acre).

All of Central Valley Project contractors
(including those north of the Delta) received
a 40 percent allocation.

Westlands Water District growers are receiving
0.47 acre-feet of water per acre.

Bella Vista Water District adopted drought
surcharge for water usage exceeding 75%
of water used during the past water year.

Land Fallowing

Fresno County : 46,347 acres
Kern County : 30,895 acres
Merced County: 2,947 acres

Acres Damaged

Fresno County : 170,200 acres
Kern County : 1,821,000 acres
Merced County: 10,695 acres

The Bottom Line

Fresno County : $86.65 million loss
Kern County : $69.5 million loss
Kings County: $10.88 million loss

In times of drought, farms are the first to have their water supplies cut. To make it through this year's water crisis, farmers opted to fallow land, under-irrigate crops, and even in some cases abandon land that was already planted. The State Water Project Contractors estimate total losses from the pumping restrictions to have cost California's economy from the pumping restrictions at $350 million, including decreased farm production as well as job losses
in agriculture and landscaping. The final impacts of this year will not be known until the growing season is over.

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