Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Printable Version

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - martyup - 11-19-2024

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 11-20-2024

(11-18-2024, 05:04 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:  

(11-18-2024, 03:41 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  First major storm and atmospheric river headed to California, and it’s going to be a doozy…

https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather-forecast/article/bomb-cyclone-atmospheric-river-rain-california-19923845.php

BC

Great. Looks like I'll be on the roof tomorrow blowing off the leaves, and they're not all down yet. . .

Bomb cyclone. It's here and wreaking havoc in the PNW and Northern California:
“Once in a decade” bomb cyclone hits the Pacific Northwest, leaving at least one dead

Hundreds of thousands without power. Damage is worst in western CA and Washington. 
At least 1 dead and hundreds of thousands without power as bomb cyclone slams Washington state, British Columbia

Winds 74 to 95 mph:
“Once in a decade” bomb cyclone hits the Pacific Northwest, leaving at least one dead

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(11-19-2024, 08:56 AM)82lsju Wrote:  

Quote:A new study from Stanford researchers shows central California’s vast San Joaquin Valley has sunk at a record pace since 2006. Strategic recharging of aquifers could help slow or stop the sinking.

https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2024/11/groundwater-pumping-drives-rapid-sinking-in-california?utm_content=httpsnewsstanfordedustories202411groundwaterpumpingdrivesrapidsinkingincalifornia

California is literally sinking under the weight of its water demands

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 12-03-2024

In the wake of the bomb cyclone, Shasta went up 2 feet, though still at 56% of capacity, but 105% of normal for this time of year. Lake SOnoma up 9 feet, now at 62% of capacity:
How California's Major Reservoirs Changed After Atmospheric River - Newsweek

Lake Oroville went up 20 feet, at 49% capacity.
California's Second-Largest Reservoir Sees Sudden Change in Water Level

Before and after photos of Lake Oroville:
Before and after: New photos show remarkable recovery at California’s most beleaguered reservoir | CNN

California anticipates a dry year, and cities will only get 5% of what they ask:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/california-cuts-back-on-water-deliveries-anticipating-dry-year-ahead/ar-AA1vd5lL?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=fb15fad4cc754f05b665b37b0c6f0d12&ei=16

The state thinks reservoirs are not enough. They're a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, they alter ecosystems, worsen water loss through evaporation, disrupt wildlife habitats, cause poor dental hygiene and gopher holes in your lawn. Maybe not the last two:
California's Water Crisis Demands Solutions Beyond Reservoirs, Report Finds

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - pefloresjr - 12-03-2024

(12-03-2024, 01:56 PM)Mick Wrote:  In the wake of the bomb cyclone, Shasta went up 2 feet, though still at 56% of capacity, but 105% of normal for this time of year. Lake SOnoma up 9 feet, now at 62% of capacity:
How California's Major Reservoirs Changed After Atmospheric River - Newsweek

Lake Oroville went up 20 feet, at 49% capacity.
California's Second-Largest Reservoir Sees Sudden Change in Water Level

Before and after photos of Lake Oroville:
Before and after: New photos show remarkable recovery at California’s most beleaguered reservoir | CNN

California anticipates a dry year, and cities will only get 5% of what they ask:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/california-cuts-back-on-water-deliveries-anticipating-dry-year-ahead/ar-AA1vd5lL?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=fb15fad4cc754f05b665b37b0c6f0d12&ei=16

The state thinks reservoirs are not enough. They're a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, they alter ecosystems, worsen water loss through evaporation, disrupt wildlife habitats, cause poor dental hygiene and gopher holes in your lawn. Maybe not the last two:
California's Water Crisis Demands Solutions Beyond Reservoirs, Report Finds

I just want to be sure that it is clear that the report cited in the last article of your post is not from the State of California.  It is from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), a private environmental advocacy organization.  As stated in the article, California won litigation filed by CBD against the Sites Dam by showing that the project didn't violate CEQA.  The State clearly believes that it needs more water storage and was not a part of the CBD report.  

It's also important to note that, as stated in the other article, the 5% projection for water delivery was the initial, conservative projection and did not take into account the recent rains.  

Cheers,
Pete F.

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - cardcrimson - 12-03-2024

(12-03-2024, 03:04 PM)pefloresjr Wrote:  

(12-03-2024, 01:56 PM)Mick Wrote:  In the wake of the bomb cyclone, Shasta went up 2 feet, though still at 56% of capacity, but 105% of normal for this time of year. Lake SOnoma up 9 feet, now at 62% of capacity:
How California's Major Reservoirs Changed After Atmospheric River - Newsweek

Lake Oroville went up 20 feet, at 49% capacity.
California's Second-Largest Reservoir Sees Sudden Change in Water Level

Before and after photos of Lake Oroville:
Before and after: New photos show remarkable recovery at California’s most beleaguered reservoir | CNN

California anticipates a dry year, and cities will only get 5% of what they ask:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/california-cuts-back-on-water-deliveries-anticipating-dry-year-ahead/ar-AA1vd5lL?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=fb15fad4cc754f05b665b37b0c6f0d12&ei=16

The state thinks reservoirs are not enough. They're a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, they alter ecosystems, worsen water loss through evaporation, disrupt wildlife habitats, cause poor dental hygiene and gopher holes in your lawn. Maybe not the last two:
California's Water Crisis Demands Solutions Beyond Reservoirs, Report Finds

I just want to be sure that it is clear that the report cited in the last article of your post is not from the State of California.  It is from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), a private environmental advocacy organization.  As stated in the article, California won litigation filed by CBD against the Sites Dam by showing that the project didn't violate CEQA.  The State clearly believes that it needs more water storage and was not a part of the CBD report.  

It's also important to note that, as stated in the other article, the 5% projection for water delivery was the initial, conservative projection and did not take into account the recent rains.  

Cheers,
Pete F.

"Record heat last summer"?!? Was one of the cooler ones I can remember; late heat yes, but a tough year for HVAC companies. . . .

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 12-13-2024

Atmospheric river coming Friday through Sunday. 3-5 inches of rain in the Coastal Ranges. 1-3 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevadas. NorCal will get rain and 40-60 mph winds. SoCal will get light breezes.

Atmospheric River Set to 'Wallop' Western US: What We Know

Yesterday, water level in Shasta was at 998 feet, 69 feet below full capacity. Oroville was at 784 feet, 115 feet below full capacity.

How Dry Period Impacted California's Biggest Reservoir's Water Levels - Newsweek

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - BostonCard - 12-13-2024

Snowpack numbers are up:

https://cdec.water.ca.gov/snowapp/sweq.action

Northern California is 162% of typical for this date; it should go up with this atmospheric river.  Overall, we are on target, but all it takes is a prolonged dry patch to put California behind.

BC

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RE: Palo Alto Flooding - Mick - 01-03-2025

(08-18-2024, 08:35 AM)Mick Wrote:  https://cdec.water.ca.gov/

If you access the link, go to the daily statewide reservoir report.

The "water year" runs from October 1 through the following September 30, so this is a sixty-day update after the new year. Reservoir capacity updated for January 3, 2025 (using threepointer's scale). Listed with % of Average to date, and the % change from two months ago:

Large (1 MM+ AF):
Oroville, 69% (+14%) / 124% / (+26%) 
Shasta, 77% (+16%) / 130% / (+21%)
Pine Flat, 46% (+6%) / 132% / (-2%)
San Luis, 69% (+19%) / 109% / (-7%)
New Melones, 77% (+1%) / 139% / (+2%)
Trinity, 75% (+5) / 124% / (+9%) 
Don Pedro, 69% (-6%) / 101% / (-8%)  
Lake McClure, 63% (-5%) / 144% / (+3%)  
Berryessa, 93% (+8%) / 126% / (+11%) 
Almanor, 71% (+1%) / 117% / (+8%) 

Medium (300k - 999k AF, where available)
Folsom, 37% (-10%) / 89% / (-5%) 
New Bullards, 77% (+10%) / 123% / (+17%)
Diamond Valley, 97% (0%) / 136% / (+5%)
Millerton Lake, 44% (-3%) / 83% / (-17%)
Isabella, 27% (-2%) / 108% / (+6%) 
Lake San Antonio, 71% (-3%) / 153% (-3%)
Lake Tahoe/Tahoe City, 65% (-9%) / 206% / (+9%) 
Nacimiento, 52% (-4%) / 137% / (-7%) 
New Hogan, 52% (-5%) / 142% / (-7%)
Castaic, 76% (-9%) / 99% / (-4%) 
Clear Lake, 78% / 202% / (87%)

SF Bay Reservoirs (and of local interest, where available)
Hetch Hetchy, 67% (+13%) / 103% / (+2%)
Calaveras, 78% (-10%) / 182% / (-5%)
Del Valle, 34% (-8%) / 90% / (-5%)
Lexington Reservoir, 44% (-11) / 123% / (-25%)
San Antonio Reservoir, 98% (-1%) / 116% / (+3%)
Crystal Springs Reservoir, 74% (-1%) / 104% / (-9%)

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Leftcoast - 01-04-2025

As of Jan 2 snowpack is slightly below average.  Article links to a report on the first Snowpack survey of the year.

https://water.ca.gov/News/News-Releases/2025/Jan-25/Snow-Survey-January-2025

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 01-05-2025

The Mercury reported that the statewide Sierra Nevada snowpack (1/3rd of CA's water supply) is at 108% of its historic average for Jan. 2 (see graph below). Last year's Sierra snowpack was just 28% of normal on Jan. 2, but by 4/1 it had grown to 111%.

There is a dramatic difference between NorCal and SoCal snowpacks. The Northern Sierra snowpack was 161% of its historical average. Central Sierra was 94%. The Southern Sierra snowpack is only 75% of average. Basically, above I-80, lots of snow.

On Thursday, the state's major reservoirs were at 121% of their historical capacity for early January.

Diamond Valley in Riverside county, which is key to LA water supplies, was 97% full.

Since 10/1/24, SF has received 10.2 inches of rain (121% of normal). LA has received just 4% of its historical average, basically none during that time.

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 01-06-2025

Could be worse. The rest of the country is getting blasted with snow.

Cities that rarely get snow are getting more than a foot in frigid 'arctic outbreak'

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - cardcrimson - 01-06-2025

Client working from home in St Louis today--foot of snow yesterday. . . .

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 01-16-2025

Oregon finds a previously-undiscovered aquifer of 21 trillion gallons (3x the capacity of Lake Mead, more than half the volume of Lake Tahoe) underneath Oregon's Cascade Range. The water is at the top of the mountains. The snowmelt in western central Oregon provides water to the McKenzie River, which supplies water to Eugene.

Scientists Uncover a Massive Water Reservoir Beneath Oregon’s Mountains

Meanwhile, one state south, the $1.5 billion plan to expand the Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Contra Costa County, a reservoir which supplies the San Francisco Bay Area -- has collapsed. The state has been pursuing the project for a decade and construction was scheduled to start next year. Water experts considered it one of the most promising ways to expand California's water supplies. No major lawsuits, wasn't controversial with environmental groups. All they wanted to do was raise the height of the dam by 55 feet to 281 feet, increasing capacity from 160k acre feet to 275k acre feet, enough water for the annual needs of 1.4 million people. Costs and water were to be shared with major Bay Area water agencies including EBMUD, SFPUC and SCVWD.

$70 million had already been spent in environmental studies, engineering studies, permitting, etc. Major reason: original estimate was $980 million, costs rose to $1.6 billion. The $453 million in state funds that Contra Costa was allocated but did not spend will be reallocated to six other water storage projects.

‘We shouldn’t have been blindsided’: California officials disappointed over collapse of $1.5 billion plan to expand Contra Costa County reservoir

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - BostonCard - 02-17-2025

Just me, or is the California snow pack measurement down:

https://cdec.water.ca.gov/snowapp/sweq.action

It's listing no snowpack anywhere in the state for 15-Feb-2025.  I'm curious what the recent atmospheric river did; the snow pack was about 80% of normal, mostly because of lack of precipitation in the southern (and to a lesser extent, the central) Sierra.  I was hoping that last week would have brought us close to normal overall (even if the Southern Sierra was likely to still be behind).

Anyway, hoping this is a temporary thing and it will be fixed next week.

BC

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - M T - 02-17-2025

Go back a day or few and you get numbers. 
Feb 13:  % for this date
Northern:112%
Central: 75%
Southern: 56%

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 02-17-2025

Interesting snowpack chart: California Snow Water Content, February 14, 2025, Percent of April 1 Average

% of average for this date / North: 121%
% of average for this date / Central: 90%
% of average for this date / South: 76%

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Leftcoast - 02-17-2025

From a NYT Article-Excerpted for fair use reasons. It looks like the data on the cal gov site showing no snowpack in all three Sierra regions is a glitch.

====================================================
The Sierra Nevada Just Had an ‘Epic Snow Day’
Brooke Hess-Homeier/Associated Press
Amy Graff
Feb. 14, 2025

The Sierra Nevada finally got a big snowfall this week in a winter that has so far been marked by warm storms that have brought more rain and slush than snow to the mountain range. Snowfall totals for Wednesday night to Friday morning ranged from four and a half feet on Mount Rose in Nevada to three feet at Donner Pass in California.

.........

Several storms have swept the Sierra this winter, and they have not only trended warmer but also favored the northern portion.

This is evident in the data collected by the California Department of Water Resources, which shows the northern snowpack is bigger in size than it has typically been at this time of year, while the central and southern half of the snowpack are below normal. The agency carefully tracks the snowpack because it provides about 30 percent of the state’s water supply in a good year.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/weather/sierra-nevada-snow.html

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - BostonCard - 02-17-2025

(02-17-2025, 05:16 AM)M T Wrote:  Go back a day or few and you get numbers. 
Feb 13:  % for this date
Northern:112%
Central: 75%
Southern: 56%

Thanks, it looks like data wasn't updated after 2/13, and with the absence of data, it is just putting zero.  Hopefully they will update it tomorrow (I'm presuming they won't over a holiday).

BC

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - martyup - 02-17-2025

Mammoth Mountain got 6 feet of snow in 36 hours over the weekend.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/avalanche-buries-ski-patrol-mammoth-mountain/3755985/

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Leftcoast - 02-18-2025

The Cal.gov website has been corrected as of Feb 18 (link below).   Northern Sierras look good at 122% of normal while Central Sierras (91%) and Southern Sierras (77%) are running below normal for this date compared to past years.

https://cdec.water.ca.gov/snowapp/sweq.action

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