Temporary Urgency Actions for Emergency Relief Consisting of Temporary Reduction in Minimum Merced River Flows Pursuant to Davis-Grunsky Agreement

Temporary Urgency Actions for Emergency Relief Consisting of Temporary Reduction in Minimum Merced River Flows Pursuant to Davis-Grunsky Agreement

The District's Lake McClure is the primary source of surface water supplies used by the District to provide water to approximately 2,200 growers within the District, covering more than 164,000 acres on the eastern side of Merced County in the San Joaquin Valley. Lake McClure is fed by rain and snowfall in the Merced River watershed above Lake McClure reaching into Yosemite National Park. Although runoff varies from year to year, on average the watershed ahs more than 900,000 AF of water runoff per year. The proposed action is necessary to address and help mitigate severe drought conditions and impacts that will be experienced because of the lack of water supplies. An urgent need for the temporary changes exists in order to assist in meeting critical water supply needs, as well as to provide additional supplies and in-stream flows in the Merced River for fish species and habitat.

Mariposa, Merced