'This is Going to Hurt Farmers,' Water Consultant Says After Trump Releases Billions of Gallons of Water in California

The abrupt release of billions of gallons of water from two California reservoirs is intensifying Trump's battle with the state and sparking outrage from officials who say they weren't warned and fear the move could devastate farms.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers drastically increased water releases from Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah and Schafer Dam at Lake Success early Friday morning.

The move came just days after President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Monday that the U.S. military had "TURNED ON THE WATER" in California.

"The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!," Trump posted.

"Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! I only wish they listened to me six years ago – There would have been no fire!" Trump said in another post Friday.

However, many local officials and water experts disagree. The water releases were not coordinated with state officials, according to Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources.

"We traditionally have a high degree of coordination at the operational level, which really wasn't a part of this decision," Nemeth told the The LA Times.

Dan Vink, a water consultant and former general manager of the Lower Tule River Irrigation District, described the situation as "extremely unprecedented." He revealed that local officials were only informed of the decision Thursday afternoon—days after Trump's initial Truth Social announcement.

Vink told The LA Times a release of that magnitude would typically be coordinated days in advance. The sudden increase in water flow raised concerns about farm equipment placed near riverbanks and the safety of homeless encampments along waterways.

Peter Gleick, a water scientist and senior fellow at the Pacific Institute, questioned the timing of the releases, noting that Southern California has been dry and the snowpack in the southern Sierra remains below average.

"There is no indication that that's why these releases occurred," Gleick said. "I don't know where this water is going, but this is the wrong time of year to be releasing water from these reservoirs."

The move has drawn political backlash as well. Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla called the lack of notification "recklessly endangering residents downstream."

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he demanded answers on who made the decision and why it was executed without local coordination.

"If the purpose of these releases is to help fight wildfires in Los Angeles County (which are already almost fully contained), what is the plan to transport this water to Los Angeles rather than let the water simply be discharged into Tulare Lake where it will evaporate?" Padilla asked.

"This is going to hurt farmers," Vink said. "This takes water out of their summer irrigation portfolio."

Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has taken steps to mitigate potential water shortages with an executive order to maximize storage and capture of storm runoff to replenish groundwater and boost reservoirs.

"It is more important than ever that we maximize every opportunity to recharge our groundwater supplies. As we anticipate rain and snow in Northern California, we are also preparing to use every last drop to boost our water supply for communities and farms throughout the state," Newsom said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told the LA Times the move aligns with Trump's executive order to fast-track emergency water measures in California.

Yet, it's deepening the feud between Trump and California officials. Trump, who previously urged Newsom to resign, recently threatened to condition federal wildfire aid to changes in California's water distribution, including increased water releases from the north. He also suggested making aid conditional on implementing voter ID laws.