[Mick]

San Luis is abnormal, in that it isn't part of the flood control chain along the major California mountain ranges, so it's "normal" for this year is very close to capacity.  In fact it is sitting at 99% capacity IN APRIL according to this data.  

Water managers can do this because San Luis is separate from any higher mountains or rivers and gets no inflow from run-off.  Instead it is filled with water pumped directly from the delta and used for energy production (essentially a large gravity powered battery for the electrical grid) and storage for the California Aqueduct.  

Very few other reservoirs can afford to be at capacity in April.  They need storage for all that snowpack - currently over 240% of normal for this year.   That's one heck of a lot of water that will be cascading into those reservoirs in June-early August.  If you look at the flood control reservoirs they are reserving ~40% capacity for run-off.  Don't worry they'll be full soon enough ... or at least as full as the water managers feel safe in allowing!

What do you suppose will be the effect on aquifers, of releasing the excess water from the reservoirs and the snowpack? I know that ground aquifers have been severely overtaxed...will the expected water releases over the summer rebuild the aquifers? If so...what portion will be replenished?

[Mick]

San Luis is abnormal, in that it isn't part of the flood control chain along the major California mountain ranges, so it's "normal" for this year is very close to capacity.  In fact it is sitting at 99% capacity IN APRIL according to this data.  

Water managers can do this because San Luis is separate from any higher mountains or rivers and gets no inflow from run-off.  Instead it is filled with water pumped directly from the delta and used for energy production (essentially a large gravity powered battery for the electrical grid) and storage for the California Aqueduct.  

Very few other reservoirs can afford to be at capacity in April.  They need storage for all that snowpack - currently over 240% of normal for this year.   That's one heck of a lot of water that will be cascading into those reservoirs in June-early August.  If you look at the flood control reservoirs they are reserving ~40% capacity for run-off.  Don't worry they'll be full soon enough ... or at least as full as the water managers feel safe in allowing!

What do you suppose will be the effect on aquifers, of releasing the excess water from the reservoirs and the snowpack? I know that ground aquifers have been severely overtaxed...will the expected water releases over the summer rebuild the aquifers? If so...what portion will be replenished?