-March 14,2023-
UPDATE:
March 15-from NWS :
The Sacramento River at Red Bluff is forecast to reach 259 feet between 3 am and 6 am this morning. This stage would be within one foot of the highest on record, which is 260 feet in 1997. #CAwx
Shasta filling faster
Now northern California is also getting some serious precip this week with Shasta Dam recording over 5 inches of rain yesterday. The inflow into the lake today is impressive at 75,000cfs! (see chart) For now the dam has 1.5 million AF of space available so California’s king reservoir may yet fill this year after all.Here is an article in a local paper.
Pictured chart of inflow into Lake Shasta
From Redding Record Searchlight
“It may be hard to believe after all the snow and rain that fell ― and keeps falling ― on the North State this winter, but Lake Shasta water levels are still lower than normal for this time of year.
That could change with more storms on the way this week. Predictions about the amount of water released through Shasta Dam later in the year, as snow melts, could also change.
So far in 2023, the North State has had a good soaking.
Since Dec. 1, 2022, Lake Shasta went up 90 feet, said Donald Bader , area manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the dam. “We have 59 feet left to go” before the lake is completely full.
With more storms expected this and next week, hydrologists expect the lake to rise another 22 feet by March 23, bringing it just 37 feet from the top ― 78% full, Bader said.”