Rising reservoir levels | 5th largest year recorded since 1950

Post by **WB Staff** » Thu Jun 06, 2019 5:12 pm

CALIFORNIA (KTVU) - "Use it or lose it" is what state and federal water managers in California are wrestling with as one of the biggest precipitation years has the mountains packed with snow and reservoirs loaded to the brim.

For the state, water is liquid gold that feeds many people, animals, trees, and industries.

But, if not well managed, it can also present great danger.

"This is the 5th largest year recorded since 1950. At the higher elevation we're seeing almost 200 percent of the average for this time of year," said Chris Orrock of the California Water Resources Department.

Pacific Gas & Electric which runs the nation's largest privately owned hydroelectric system, says it's watershed got more than 150 percent of expected snow.

"That means there will be plenty of water for not only hydropower and dish, but farms and other water users this year," said PG&E Hydro Spokesman Paul Moreno. "Every time we generate more hydropower, that's less power than we have to generate from fossil fuel plants or other sources."

But Orrock says some reservoirs are close to capacity and there is nowhere to put the water.

More info and vid from Channel 2 news: http://www.ktvu.com/news/water-water-ev ... oir-levels

biteme · Post by **biteme** » Thu Jun 06, 2019 6:07 pm

They say this but I dont see it. They raised the dam at my local lake and the water level this year is the same. They are dumping it and not holding it. Two years and millions to raise it just to keep it the same levels. I dont get it.

hydro · Post by **hydro** » Thu Jun 06, 2019 6:19 pm

Lake owners typically don't completely fill their lake(s) to the top until the snow melt runoff becomes manageable (or is about to stop ) . If they topped off the lake right now they might have to deal with more water coming in than they could release with all of the snowpack still remaining in the Sierras .