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California State Water Project and the Central Valley Project

Today the Central Valley Project, operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, is one of the world’s largest water storage and transport systems. Its 22 reservoirs have a combined storage of 11 million acre-feet, of which 7 million acre-feet is delivered in an average year. In comparison, the SWP’s 20 major reservoirs can hold 5.8 million acre-feet, with annual deliveries averaging up to 3 million acre-feet.

CVP water irrigates more than 3 million acres of farmland and provides drinking water to nearly 2 million consumers. SWP deliveries are 70 percent urban and 30 percent agriculture, meeting the needs of 20 million Californians and more than 600,000 irrigated acres, respectively.

The CVP has long-term contracts with more than 250 contractors in 29 out of 58 counties; while 29 agencies have 50-year contracts with the SWP.