When the Levee Breaks

[ERIC]

DWR getting a lot of grief on Twitter for overly positive updates. Other reports out there, with photos, of flooding downstream of spillway and a handful of geologists and engineers not quite agreeing with DWR's opinions related to structural integrity of the project.

[rlown]

Shasta looks to be pretty full as well.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist2/cctv/sm_pitriver.shtml

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist2/cctv/sm_bassmtn.shtml

[ERIC]

Nearly every reservoir in the state is.

[Tom_H]

... don't let any of this fool you, we are still suffering through a drought and water conservation will be mandated. Guess the Governor thinks it's necessary in order to keep the oceans full.

Not all reservoirs are at normal yet. New Melones is only at 70% of average capacity for this time of year.

Also, a lot of the state uses groundwater. Overdrawn aquifers cannot recharge from copious amounts of rainfall in a short period of time. They require prolonged wet periods during which water can slowly percolate downward through densely compacted soil layers. What is needed is a surface which remains saturated for long periods of time. Water that runs off does not help recharge aquifers.

[ERIC]

Not all reservoirs are at normal yet. New Melones is only at 70% of average capacity for this time of year.

True. But currently trending towards above average and possible well above average by the end of this month.

In the Kings River Watershed, a big issue right now is that a lot of the runoff is coming from Hughes and Mill Creeks downstream of Pine Flat Dam - that water is super turbid. The Rough Fire burn scar is netting and will continue to net more turbid water than we're used to seeing in Pine Flat Reservoir. Silty water is bad for recharge.

[rlown]

It is now going over the emergency spillway at Orville 1st time ever! Would not want to be below that!

And the outflow looks ugly: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/66560 ... artslide=2

Glad they moved the salmon fry out of the hatchery.

[ERIC]

[Lumbergh21]

... don't let any of this fool you, we are still suffering through a drought and water conservation will be mandated. Guess the Governor thinks it's necessary in order to keep the oceans full.

Not all reservoirs are at normal yet. New Melones is only at 70% of average capacity for this time of year.

Also, a lot of the state uses groundwater. Overdrawn aquifers cannot recharge from copious amounts of rainfall in a short period of time. They require prolonged wet periods during which water can slowly percolate downward through densely compacted soil layers. What is needed is a surface which remains saturated for long periods of time. Water that runs off does not help recharge aquifers.

And what does aquifer water levels have to do with surface water usage? If your a water system that is supplied by Shasta, Oroville, and any one of the smaller reservoirs in the state, the governor is still requiring you to enforce conservation with fines if you fail to make your customers conserve.

By the way, according to CDEC, New Melones is at 88% of average and statewide the reservoirs are at 128.8% of average with the two largest ones, the ones that provide most of the flood control for the Sacramento Valley at 98% of capacity with the spring melt still to come. There is no reason that water rights on these rivers and lakes should be curtailed this year. So, why are they? Power hungry people in Sacramento? It's hard to swallow that there isn't enough water for you to irrigate your fields if you live in the country or for you to grow a garden in your backyard in the city when homes and property are either flooded or in very real danger of being flooded. Not to mention the impact this is going to have on the hikes I planned for this year.

[rlown]

Problem is that many AG groups in the central valley have taken to draw down on drilling more and deeper wells, causing subsidence (aqueduct doesn't flow) and in some cases, towns to go dry. They "Sacramento, et al" have only recently put rules in place on those drilling to measure what they take. Doesn't fix the problem..

There are some really spiffy maps that show subsidence up to 30' in parts of the central valley, mainly due to AG drilling.

https://ca.water.usgs.gov/projects/cent ... alley.html as an example.

As for the excess surface water at this point in time: It flushes out the rivers leaving a cleaner, healthier environment for those here before us (fish.) I personally do not see the benefit of sending it south to flush toilets and water lawns.

[ERIC]

They "Sacramento, et al" have only recently put rules in place on those drilling to measure what they take. Doesn't fix the problem..

If you're talking about the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), then yes it does/will. At least as it's currently written into CA Water Code.