Very full Folsom Lake

[cdevine]

Took this on a run a few days ago near Browns Ravine heading toward the levy. Beats the hell out of the last few years when my kids were exploring the bottom artifacts of that place.

[Scott V]

The water is almost above the highest Granite Bay launch ramp and into the parking lot. At least that is where it was at last Thursday.

And to think, all those people whining about the flows going up and the lake getting dumped, I guess they want to flood all those houses in Granite Bay.

[cdevine]

The water is almost above the highest Granite Bay launch ramp and into the parking lot. At least that is where it was at last Thursday.

And to think, all those people whining about the flows going up and the lake getting dumped, I guess they want to flood all those houses in Granite Bay.

Its not going to matter this year about releasing too much water. This year will be a year where they actually might get a pat on the back for releasing water when they did. Flooding is more of a concern this year than too little water. We are already above normal rainfall and snow in a lot of places in Norcal and its mid January. Mammoth is on pace to set a record for snow in January and places like Tahoe City and Reno are at 100 year type #'s. We have months of winter left too.

Say goodbye to the drought.

[Mark Kranhold]

Took the dogs for a walk this evening to the lake ,it's already receding looking at driftwood line.

[JasonB]

Took the dogs for a walk this evening to the lake ,it's already receding looking at driftwood line.

I would expect them to be dropping the lake level a bit more in the next few week, as the level went up more than intended for this time of year from that last couple of storms. Given the amount of snowpack and these incoming fronts we keep getting, I don't think they will let the lake start to fill until they get a much better handle on just how much runoff we might have. This really does have the potential of being a very BIG runoff year so far. A mixed blessing really, but after the severity of the drought we've been enduring recently... I'll take it.
JB

[TyV]

"Say goodbye to the drought."

Actually, it doesn't work that way. A drought this extreme doesn't happen in a year and it can't possibly end in a single year. While reservoirs may be full and a good snow pack certainly helps a ton, the biggest impact of the drought is unseen in empty groundwater aquifers. Those will take a number of wet years like this to recharge. Until that happens, the drought will not be over. The public may think it is, but like most things the public believes, it won't be true.

No matter how much rain and snow we get this season, our drought level will still be very serious at best! Sorry to be the bearer of somewhat bad news.

[cdevine]

"Say goodbye to the drought."

Actually, it doesn't work that way. A drought this extreme doesn't happen in a year and it can't possibly end in a single year. While reservoirs may be full and a good snow pack certainly helps a ton, the biggest impact of the drought is unseen in empty groundwater aquifers. Those will take a number of wet years like this to recharge. Until that happens, the drought will not be over. The public may think it is, but like most things the public believes, it won't be true.

No matter how much rain and snow we get this season, our drought level will still be very serious at best! Sorry to be the bearer of somewhat bad news.

I get your point. I do.

I look at the state as 2. You have NorCal and SoCal.

NorCal is really lets say north of Fresno. (maybe its bakersfield)

The drought is technically over in areas north no matter how you want to look at it and the storms we get this winter will only add more of a cushion from this point forward. South of Fresno I honestly could care less about and yes the water table has been pummeled from over pumping and a slew of things like growing grapes and almonds which require more water.

Fresno/Bakersfield south is still a bad drought. But 80% of the fishing I do is in the Sierra's both western and eastern. The remaining 20% is in streams like Upper Sac, Pit, McCloud, and Lower Sac. All of these areas are in good shape. Hopefully that doesn't sound too selfish.

.

[John Sv]

I believe Bakersfield has Vons and not Safeway so therefore is SoCal. Bishop has a Vons and while it is well north, is Socal

[JasonB]

Ty has a very legitimate point there! Groundwater is a major component in our water storage and consumption, and there are some big issues with it. Largely, as Ty alluded, groundwater supplies being largely "out of sight out of mind" tend not to get the notice and concern that they should. Unfortunately, it's actually much worse; it would be extremely unlikely that our groundwater supplies will ever be fully recharged without some changes to our consumption and infrastructure. Here is an interesting paragraph from a Wikipedia page on California water:

Groundwater[edit]

Windmill used to pump water for irrigation, Compton, ca.1900-1901
Groundwater is a critical element of the California water supply. During a normal year, 30% of the state's water supply comes from groundwater (underground water). In times of intense drought, groundwater consumption can rise to 60% or more.[3] Over 850,000,000 acre feet (1,050 km3) of water is stored in California's 450 known groundwater reservoirs.[3] However, not all the water is usable. Over half of the groundwater is unavailable due to poor quality and the high cost of pumping the water from the ground. While surface water is concentrated mostly in the northern part of the state, groundwater is more evenly distributed.[3]

The largest groundwater reservoirs are found in the Central Valley.[3] The majority of the supply there is in the form of runoff that seeps into the aquifer. The freshwater is usually found in deposits of gravel, silt, and sand. Below these deposits lies a layer of deep sediment, a relic of the era when the Pacific Ocean covered the area.

Though California has laws governing surface water usage and quality, there exist no statewide groundwater management laws. Each groundwater basin is individually adjudicated to determine water rights.[4] Otherwise, for all practical purposes, land ownership implicitly carries the right to virtually unlimited groundwater pumping.

The large quantity of water beneath the surface has given rise to the misconception that groundwater is a sort of renewable resource that can be limitlessly tapped. Calculations assuming that groundwater usage is sustainable if the rate of removal equals the rate of recharge are often incorrect as a result of ignoring changes in water consumption and water renewal.[5]

While the volume of groundwater in California is very large, aquifers can be over drafted when groundwater is removed more rapidly than it is replenished. In 1999, it was estimated that the average, annual overdrafting was around 2,200,000 acre feet (2.7 km3) across the state, with 800,000 acre feet (0.99 km3) in the Central Valley.[6] Since then, overdrafting had significantly increased. Satellite measurements found that in just the combined Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins, including the Central Valley, overdrafting between 2011 and 2014 was 12,000,000 acre feet (15 km3) of water per year.[7]

Some of those numbers bear repeating: 850,000,000AF groundwater stored (less than half usable). Annual average overdrafting of groundwater supplies 2,200,000AF (1999 study). Substantial increase in overdraft from 2011-2014 to 12,000,000AF annually!!! The positive side, to me, is that it does seem like awareness of the value and potential for groundwater recharge is becoming more and more common (and the cost is so much cheaper than dams).
All this rain and snow IS helping a great deal though, and for that I am thankful and somewhat hopeful.
JB

[mogaru]

Based on the California Department of Water Resources - California Data Exchange Center, Folsom Lake is at 43% of total capacity which represents 84% of historical average for this date. The funny thing is that although southern California had a lot less rain than us their reservoirs seem fuller than ours. I supposed that they still have to fill their aquifers just in case we need some water back so they can charge us........I got the feeling the water masters (individuals with senior and junior water rights) won't let us say the drought is over until they will be completely satisfied.