Thanks to early season storms, the Department of Water Resources today

increased its water delivery estimate for calendar year 2013 from 30 to 40 percent of requested State Water Project water.

Today’s delivery estimate – or allocation – of SWP water is expected to further increase as more winter storms roll in.  The state normally receives more than 90 percent of its snow and rain from December through April.

Storms last month and those currently sweeping California have replenished reservoirs and deepened the mountain snowpack that normally provides a third of our water as it slowly melts in the spring and early summer.

Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal storage reservoir with a capacity of 3.5 million acre-feet, is at 67 percent of capacity, 107 percent of normal for the date.

There are two fun, great ways to start 2013 on the right (or left) foot!

You can start right away, on the morning of January 1st!

Bank of the Sierra is presenting the Inaugural Resolution Run.

It's taking place in the streets of Downtown Visalia, and benefits the Golden State YMCA and California Law Enforcement's Wish Upon a Star.

There will be a 1 mile kids run, and a 5k run.

You can click here for more details.

You can also run 5k or 10k the morning of January 13th at Cutler Park. The 2013 Tule Fog Run takes place along the banks of the St. John River.

500 runners participated last year.

The event includes chip timing and warming stations. If you register by January 13, you are guaranteed a long sleeve shirt.

Click here for more information on the 2013 Tule Fog Run.