Video: State Water Project Allocation Process
California Department of Water Resources Engineer Jacob Kollen (left) and Engineer Anthony Burdock conduct the first media snow survey of the 2026 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada. The snow survey is held approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo taken December 30, 2026.
When the State Water Project determines water allocations each year, several factors are taken into consideration including current hydrology and an assumption of dry conditions through the rest of the year. Another factor is existing reservoir conditions and snow surveys help determine how much water is being held in California’s snowpack that acts like a natural reservoir.