Rainfall at Shasta Dam in Northern California is roughly on the same path or trend as it was last year when the big reservoir got a total of over 76 inches of rain in the water year.
As of mid-February, Shasta has received about 40 inches of rain today – almost the same as last year at this time.
Of course, last year was a big rainfall year with a number of atmospheric rivers plowing into the state.
Unlike last year, the reservoir is 83 percent full at this time prompting Bureau of Reclamation officials to release more water downstream this month.Storage today is 121% of average.The dam is holding more than 1,000,000 acre feet more than this time last year.
Good storage in California’s largest reservoir at this time bodes well for the water year for the rest of the state dependent on transfer of water south each year. Nearby Oroville is 80% full right now.
The Redding newspaper reports:
“Pushed by above normal rainfall for this time of year, the water level at Lake Shasta has risen nearly 27 feet since Jan. 1, brightening the outlook for agencies, irrigators and wildlife that depend on water from the lake.
In January alone, the level of California’s largest reservoir rose 20 feet, according to figures from the state Department of Water Resources. And by Feb. 9, the water level reached its highest level so far this year, 1,040 feet above feet sea level and 27 feet above the Jan. 1 watermark.
A fuller Lake Shasta was good news to Don Bader, the area manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages Shasta Dam.
“It looks like we will be plum full at Shasta, so we’re managing it so we don’t fill up too quick. So we’re looking very, very positive on our outlook right now,” Bader said.
To keep the lake from filling too quickly, the bureau more than doubled the amount of water released from the dam starting Jan. 31. As of Tuesday, nearly 14,000 cubic feet per second was being released from the dam.”
The precipitation index for Northern California is 85% of average so far this year while further south in the San Joaquin River watershed as well as the Tulare Basin index – precipitation is 71% of average.Last year the Tulare Basin precipitation index recorded more double the inches of rain for the same date.