SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On the eve of a major winter storm that’s expected to bring heavy rain to much of the state, the California Department of Water Resources said it will increase its State Water Project deliveries this year.

The DWR expects to deliver 35% of the water supplies agencies have requested, a slight increase from the 30% it said it would most likely distribute in January.

The agency attributed the projected increase to early gains in the Sierra snowpack resulting from a string of nine atmospheric rivers in December and January that also bolstered reservoir storage. 

While February has been comparatively dry, with less than an inch of precipitation statewide so far, “We’re hopeful that more storms this week are a sign that the wet weather will return, but there remains a chance that 2023 will be a below average water year in the northern Sierra,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said in a statement. 

California’s wet season typically ends April 1, when the state’s snowpack is at its peak and begins to melt. 

“Careful planning and the use of advanced forecasting tools will enable the Department to balance the needs of our communities, agriculture and the environment should dry conditions continue this spring and into next year,” Nemeth said.