Like hundreds of lakes this fall, Stumpy Meadows Reservoir is near full. Even a below-average winter for rain and snow means lakes will be full next spring, and an average winter -- or better -- will put them over the top. Stumpy Meadows is located east of Georgetown at an elevation of 4,400 feet in Eldorado National Forest. This shot is from two weeks ago. Photo by Tom Stienstra.
It seems just yesterday when the giant San Luis Reservoir along Highway 152 was so empty on the Thanksgiving holiday week that it looked like a giant dust bowl. Shasta Lake was 27 percent full, Lake Oroville less than 25 percent and giant Folsom and Camanche looked something like puddles.
This year, heading into winter, the lakes are in amazing shape, as high as I can remember them for Thanksgiving week, when they often reach their lowest levels of the year. It bodes great things for California’s water supply, as well as next year’s lake- and river-based recreation for camping, fishing, boating and all water sports.
San Luis, which gets Delta water via the California Aqueduct, is 87 percent full. Down in L.A., Pyramid Lake is 99 percent full and Castaic is 88 percent full. That will give water managers more flexibility to operate the Delta Pumps and hopefully minimize fish kills during migrations and spawns.
In Northern California, the big recreation lakes are often drawn down very low by Thanksgiving after months where water is shipped to points south, and also in anticipation of winter’s rain and snow. For Shasta to be 70 percent full on the Thanksgiving holiday week is a blessing for both water managers and people who venture to lakes for recreation.
The lakes in the Sierra Nevada get their water from snowmelt. Like Stumpy Meadows, many are far higher than in past years as winter approaches. Shasta, on the other hand, gets most of its water from rain. Either way, we win.
Here are the stats for this week for a dozen or so major reservoirs, provided by the Department of Water Resources: San Luis (87 percent full), Whiskeytown Lake (85), Tulloch (83), Trinity Lake (82), New Melones (81), Oroville (80), Davis (76), Shasta (70), Bullards Bar (70), Camanche (62), Folsom (52). Popular little guys: Lewiston Lake (97), Antelope (85), Englebright (93).
There are 190 major reservoirs in California that provide both water supply and recreation. 2012 looks like a can’t-miss banner year for both.
Feel great in the next 24 hours: Hike. Bike. Camp. Fish. Boat. Wildlife watch. Explore.
For the new edition of California Camping, go to http://74.220.215.219/~tomstien/books/california-camping/
For my columns in the San Francisco Chronicle, go to:
http://www.sfgate.com/outdoors.
Loon Lake, know for its rocky bottom, shoreline and islands, is perched at 6,400 feet, backed against the Crystal Range. That's Ellis Peak on the ridge, the same peak that towers over Homewood above the west shore of Lake Tahoe. This shot is from three weeks ago. Photo: Tom Stienstra.
Beautiful photos!!!