President Donald Trump ordered two Californian water reservoirs to be opened and 2.2 billion gallons of water was allowed to flow out. The decision to open the dams was motivated by Trump’s idea that it would assist relief and cleaning-up efforts in fire-ravaged Southern California. Officials and stakeholders have slammed the move, saying Trump’s point wasn’t served and the area has been opened to supply risks in the coming months.
Donald Trump orders dams opened, 2.2 billion gallons of water released
On February 2, 2025, the US Army Corps of Engineers, under orders from Donald Trump, opened Schafer Dam at Lake Success and Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah in Central California. According to a statement issued by the local water districts, 2.2 billion gallons of stored water were released over a three-day period. The statement said:
“Downstream entities used these releases for limited irrigation demand and groundwater recharge.”
In a letter from Californian Senator Alex Padilla to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, much of that water was discharged into the dry lakebed of Tulare Lake.
Shortly after opening the reservoir sluices, Trump celebrated his decision in Truth Social posts on social media:
“The water is flowing in California… heading to farmers throughout the State, and to Los Angeles.”
He shared photos of water channels and stated:
“These pipes, once dry, are now brimming with clean, beautiful water heading to Los Angeles.”
Experts say the water was wasted and planning was poor
Water reticulation experts and stakeholders say that there were two major problems with Trump’s plan to release water from storage dams:
- The water released never reached Los Angeles, which was Trump’s target.
- The water was being stored for a good reason ahead of the dry season.
Heather Cooley, director of research for the Pacific Institute, a California water policy organization, explained the shortsightedness of the move:
“They were holding extra water in those reservoirs because of the risk that it would be a dry summer. This puts agriculture at risk of insufficient water during the summer months. This release is extremely concerning. It’s providing zero benefit and putting California farmers at risk of water supply constraints in the coming months.”
Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources, told the media that there was limited coordination between federal officials and state and local water managers about the Army Corps releases at the Schafer Dam and Terminus Dam:
“These reservoirs were federal reservoirs, and the state of California was not part of the decision-making in this instance. We traditionally have a high degree of coordination at the operational level, which really wasn’t a part of this decision.”
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Why is water storage so critical in California?
California’s State Water project is responsible for maintaining a stable water supply in the region from Northern California to Southern California, including Los Angeles. LA’s supply comes from two sources, state reservoirs and the Colorado River.
The reason why Trump’s plan to supply water to Los Angeles wasn’t effective is because the region’s sources are completely separate from the water system supplied by Lake Kaweah and Lake Success.
Trump’s decision could see the California agriculture industry suffer next dry season
The water system connected to these lakes flows into the Central Valley, which is rich in agriculture, including large farms growing nuts, citrus, and grasses for animal feed, among other crops. The region is already under stress due to water insecurity and is heavily reliant on groundwater and the winter precipitation stored in state reservoirs for crop irrigation.
It’s hoped that the coming dry season won’t see Californian agriculture suffering due to a lack of water stored in reservoirs upriver.
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