Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Printable Version

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 07-25-2025

Not a water issue per se, but as a result of three successive wet winters, Highway 1 south at Regents Slide (27 miles north of the Monterey County/San Luis Obispo County border) not only remains closed (it has been closed since 2023) but it will be two months before CalTrans will even hazard a guess as to when they can give an estimate to the full opening of southbound Highway 1. There had been earlier road closures at Paul's Slide and Dolan Point (20 miles north of SLO county line), so the PCH hasn't been open for quite a while.

Two of the great joys of my life were driving south on the PCH all the way from San Francisco to San Diego, once with each of my sons. Haven't been able to do it in years. My guess is no one will be able to do it for a few more years.

Here's the photo of the Regent slide not long after it occurred:



When will Hwy. 1 reopen in Big Sur? See latest update | San Luis Obispo Tribune

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - BostonCard - 07-25-2025

When I went to Stanford for the first time, my parents and I did the trip in the opposite; we drove up to Stanford from San Diego on highway 1.

BC

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - GK3 - 07-25-2025

(07-25-2025, 05:18 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  When I went to Stanford for the first time, my parents and I did the trip in the opposite; we drove up to Stanford from San Diego on highway 1.

BC

If you are a little adventurous, there used to be a way to bypass the closed sections of Hwy 1, but a 4wd is advised. If anyone is really interested in a pretty but rather long trip, let me know and I will share directions. Sometimes the route is complicated by the fact it goes through Ft. Hunter Liggett and passage is not always available at least back in the day. You also get to visit Mission San Antonio de Padua which is also on Ft. Hunter Liggett. Long ago I spent a year at the Army Language School in Monterey, now known as the Defense Language Institute.  Between playing the golf courses at Fort Ord for $2 per round, we would a couple of times of month load up our rucksacks and head for some steep trails that climbed from the ocean to the ridge overlooking Hunter Liggett on one side and the Pacific in a foolish misguided attempt to stay in shape while we sat on our rears all day every day. 
While Highway 1 from San Luis to Monterey is a fabled drive, if you are a hiker, I strongly suggest considering the Lost Coast Trail: https://www.shedreamsofalpine.com/blog/backpacking-the-lost-coast-trail-california
If that is too easy then I suggest: https://www.backpacker.com/trips/trips-by-state/oregon-trails/oregon-coast-trail-oswald-west-state-park

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - jacket3ree - 07-25-2025

(07-25-2025, 05:18 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  When I went to Stanford for the first time, my parents and I did the trip in the opposite; we drove up to Stanford from San Diego on highway 1.

BC

My route to Stanford from Atlanta entailed Interstate 75 to Chattanooga, Interstate 24 to somewhere in Illinois, Interstate 57 to Mt. Vernon, Interstate 64 to St. Louis, Interstate 70 to Cove Fort, Utah (with summer stopover in Denver to earn some cash), Interstate 15 to San Diego for a hang with a high school friend (with stopover in St. George, UT when the car broke down), Interstate 5 to LA for a hang with college friends, and the PCH/Highway 1 north. Pretty spectacular in mid-September. I was trying to get to Stanford before 5 to check into Escondido Village. Wrong route! I bailed late afternoon in Castroville at 156 only to get stuck in San Jose traffic. I do remember driving through Coyote Valley and seeing the San Jose City Limit. Hmmm...not what I expected for Silicon Valley.  Little did I know then how much of my professional life would be spent in Coyote Valley.

In any event, I did not check in and had to spend the night in some flea bag motel on El Camino.  Thirty bucks!

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - M T - 07-25-2025

"Two dams in Northern California could be razed under PG&E plan" (SF Chron, so presumably paywalled)

Quote:Pacific Gas & Electric Co. submitted a request to federal regulators Friday to tear down an aging hydroelectric project in Mendocino and Lake counties, a $530 million demolition that would include removal of two dams on the Eel River.

The decommissioning plan that PG&E filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission calls for preserving the project’s water-delivery system. ... The [new] agency [to take over water delivery], though, wouldn’t be able to ship as much water and would likely charge more for it.

The fate of the power project and future water deliveries in the region is now in the hands of FERC. ... The soonest project demolition might begin would be late 2028.

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 09-19-2025

(07-25-2025, 01:12 PM)Mick Wrote:  Not a water issue per se, but as a result of three successive wet winters, Highway 1 south at Regents Slide (27 miles north of the Monterey County/San Luis Obispo County border) not only remains closed (it has been closed since 2023) but it will be two months before CalTrans will even hazard a guess as to when they can give an estimate to the full opening of southbound Highway 1. There had been earlier road closures at Paul's Slide and Dolan Point (20 miles north of SLO county line), so the PCH hasn't been open for quite a while.

Two of the great joys of my life were driving south on the PCH all the way from San Francisco to San Diego, once with each of my sons. Haven't been able to do it in years. My guess is no one will be able to do it for a few more years.

Here's the photo of the Regent slide not long after it occurred:



When will Hwy. 1 reopen in Big Sur? See latest update | San Luis Obispo Tribune

Highway 1 in Big Sur has now been closed for 980 days, longest closure of Hwy 1 in history. It's closed between Lucia Lodge and the Esalen Institute:
Highway 1 Conditions in Big Sur, California (Big Sur Chamber of Commerce)

They still don't even have a date to project a repair timeline.

Original budgeted fix was $30 million, now at $81 million and counting...

They have been installing shear dowels (40 to 60 feet long), 3,500 so far. 
Highway 1 Closure: Caltrans Update & Big Sur Impact | News | montereycountynow.com

By comparison, the Rocky Creek slide only used 40 dowels.
Full overnight closure of Highway 1 at Rocky Creek scheduled

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 09-24-2025

(07-25-2025, 05:18 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  When I went to Stanford for the first time, my parents and I did the trip in the opposite; we drove up to Stanford from San Diego on highway 1.

BC

Looks like you'll get to do it again in the spring, when Highway 1 is scheduled to fully open up for the first time since January 2023.

Things could change, and that could be optimistic, and they could delay the opening, yadda yadda yadda...but sounds like they have an end date in mind.

Full length of Highway 1 in Big Sur expected to reopen next spring

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 10-09-2025

The new water year started on October 1. Statewide, we're at 111% of normal.
RESSW

Here's the statewide reservoir water storage report:
STORAGE

The NWS Climate Prediction Center says we will experience La Nina conditions. Likely a dry winter in Southern California, NorCal will likely face wetter than average conditions, but it could go either way in the SFBA. 
It's officially La Niña. Here's what California can expect.

Groundwater well conditions (28% below normal / 40% normal / 32% above normal)
California's Groundwater Live

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - BostonCard - 10-09-2025

Also, a La Niña phenomenon was just declared.  

https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/la-nina-california-winter-forecast-21092506.php

Usually means a dry Southern California and a wet Pacific Northwest; Northern California is usually variable.

BC

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 10-22-2025

Article on California reservoir management using a different estimation method for storage and retention of water, departing from old, federal rules and embracing FIRO (Forecast Improved Reservoir Operations) which had been in use at Oroville and others since 2019. Apparently, the water retention rules will change and will allow us to store up to 20% more water.

This Northern California reservoir has pioneered a way to store more water

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - M T - 11-19-2025

I found this article interesting, about an atmospheric situation which may impact California weather to be drier this winter. 
Sorry, I expect it is pawalled:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/stratospheric-warming-polar-vortex-california-21192650.php

And another article about recent record river flows around the state
https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/california-rain-rivers-record-21194743.php

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 12-12-2025

Lake Manly has reappeared. I'd never heard of it...it is a lake in the Mojave Desert that existed between 128k and 186k years ago (last Ice Age). The lake was 100 miles long and 600 feet deep. Climate warmed, lake disappeared. The lake is about 10 miles south of the charming Furnace Creek, CA off of Hwy 190 and 10 miles due west of Death Valley Junction, 60 miles due west of Las Vegas.

November's record rainfall in the area brought Lake Manly back to life in Death Valley. It's only three feet deep at its deepest, so it's more of a big puddle than a lake, and will likely disappear by January. But there's a few photos below.

Original LA Times article: Ancient lake comes back to life in Death Valley after record rainfall - Los Angeles Times

Clickbait article, not paywalled: Ancient lake from ice age comes back to life in Death Valley after record rainfall

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - old spanish trail - 12-12-2025

(12-12-2025, 09:27 AM)Mick Wrote:  Lake Manly has reappeared. I'd never heard of it...it is a lake in the Mojave Desert that existed between 128k and 186k years ago (last Ice Age). The lake was 100 miles long and 600 feet deep. Climate warmed, lake disappeared. The lake is about 10 miles south of the charming Furnace Creek, CA off of Hwy 190 and 10 miles due west of Death Valley Junction, 60 miles due west of Las Vegas.

November's record rainfall in the area brought Lake Manly back to life in Death Valley. It's only three feet deep at its deepest, so it's more of a big puddle than a lake, and will likely disappear by January. But there's a few photos below.

Original LA Times article: Ancient lake comes back to life in Death Valley after record rainfall - Los Angeles Times

Clickbait article, not paywalled: Ancient lake from ice age comes back to life in Death Valley after record rainfall

Fascinating. Thanks, Mick.

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 12-19-2025

Lots of water coming real soon...

Timeline: Week of storms to soak Bay Area, possibly bring a foot of rain in parts of North Bay

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - BostonCard - 12-19-2025

Unfortunately, it won’t be cold enough for a lot of snow in the sierras, except for high elevations.  Tahoe is expecting mostly rain until Christmas Eve, then it might get cold enough to generate some snow.

BC

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Mick - 12-22-2025

Because of the most recent atmospheric river, Lake Oroville rose 6.74 feet in one day. But it is at just 54% capacity, 102% of normal for this time of year. 

California reservoir water level update as lake surges 6 feet in a day

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ca245 - ca245 - 12-23-2025

Mick dateline='[url=tel:1766184933' Wrote:  1766184933[/url]']
Lots of water coming real soon...

Timeline: Week of storms to soak Bay Area, possibly bring a foot of rain in parts of North Bay

What happened? The weather forecast has been for rain ever since Sunday but it is Tuesday and still dry here in Fremont.

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RE: ca245 - M T - 12-23-2025

ca245 dateline='[url=tel:1766518838' Wrote:  1766518838[/url]']

Mick dateline='[url=tel:1766184933' Wrote:  1766184933[/url]']
Lots of water coming real soon...

Timeline: Week of storms to soak Bay Area, possibly bring a foot of rain in parts of North Bay

What happened? The weather forecast has been for rain ever since Sunday but it is Tuesday and still dry here in Fremont.

Predictions had rain coming in Friday with the possibility of minor flooding by Sunday morning.  I drove from San Diego to Stanford area on Monday afternoon with nary a drop and no damp roads.

The prediction on paper is just that. We live through the days to see what is real. 


( To paraphrase something I saw posted apparently on the wall of some stadium, “Football is not won on paper, it is won on TV” )

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - newguy - 12-24-2025

we have been receiving some rain here in Southern California.

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RE: Flooding, Lake Lag, California Water situation - Goose - 12-24-2025

Santa Barbara is really getting hit last night/today. At one point, over 4.6 inches in a six hour period.

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