Drenched by higher-than-normal rain, Lake Shasta water level rises 60 feet during January
Greater-than-normal rainfall in the course of the previous month has dramatically modified Lake Shasta, with the water degree of California’s largest reservoir rising 60 ft for the reason that finish of December.
Gone are huge areas of shoreline that turned parking tons and campgrounds because the lake dried up and the water degree dropped in the course of the previous a number of years of low rainfall within the North State.
By Monday, the lake was 56% full, an enchancment over the 34% recorded Jan. 3. The California Division of Water Sources stated the lake was 87% of regular as of Monday, in comparison with the 57% of regular originally of January.
After three years of drought, “regular” was welcome, stated Don Bader, space supervisor for the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages a number of North State dams, together with Shasta.
“It was tremendously excellent news,” Bader stated. “It places us proper again to regular storage proper for this date, which is sweet. We have been approach behind on that curve. So now all of it relies on what we’ll get within the subsequent 4 to 5 weeks for added rain.”
Originally of the month, elements of the pinnacle tower might nonetheless be seen rising above the water degree. The pinnacle tower was used throughout development of Shasta Dam, however the construction was reduce off close to the bottom after the dam was accomplished within the early Forties.
The remnants of the tower legs emerge when the lake degree will get very low.
“After we get about 100 ft down, we begin seeing the pinnacle tower and which means we’re having a nasty yr,” Bader stated in 2021. “We do not like seeing that head tower. That is a sign we’re not doing properly water-wise.”
The water degree rising in Lake Shasta impacts all the state, because the reservoir’s water is distributed to companies from Redding to Southern California.
The state’s drought bought so unhealthy final yr that many companies that rely upon water from the reservoir acquired little to none of their allocation. Some North State water districts and cities that present consuming water acquired solely the minimal required for well being and security.
Giant swaths of California have been downgraded to “reasonable” drought, however Shasta County and far of the North State nonetheless stay in a “extreme” drought, in line with the Drought Monitor. The North State was nonetheless in an “excessive” drought in the beginning of January.
Whereas January’s rains helped relieve the drought, extra precipitation is required over the subsequent few months, Bader stated.
The division of water assets measured about 18 inches of rain at Shasta Dam in January, whereas the Nationwide Climate Service recorded 9 inches of rainfall on the Redding Regional Airport. The typical precipitation in Redding throughout January is 5.66 inches, in line with the climate service.
No large storms are on the horizon for the remainder of the week, with the climate service forecasting an opportunity of showers Thursday and Friday.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story suggestions at 530-338-8834, by e mail at damon.arthur@redding.com and on Twitter at @damonarthur_RS. Assist native journalism thrive by subscribing right now
This text initially appeared on Redding Report Searchlight: Lake Shasta water degree rises 60 ft throughout January
