REDDING, Calif.
- The Bureau of Reclamation announced today that releases from Lewiston Dam into the Trinity River began increasing gradually on Thursday, April 21, from
300 cubic feet per second to approximately 4,500 cfs by Saturday, May 7.
On Sunday, May 8, flows will begin to increase from 4,500 cfs, reaching 10,000 cfs on Monday, May 9, through May 10. On Wednesday, May 11, flows will be
gradually decreased to 5,600 cfs. On Friday, May 13, flows will rapidly increase to 10,000 cfs through Saturday, May 14. Release rates will then gradually
decrease over approximately 11 weeks to return to the 450 cfs summer baseflow rate around August 2.
The public should take appropriate safety precautions whenever near or on the river. Landowners are advised to clear personal items from the floodplain
prior to the releases.
The releases for this “wet" 2016 water year will result in a total volume of 701,000 acre-feet. This year releases will include two peak flows as compared
to only one peak flow in previous years. The two peak flows are to better meet coarse sediment management objectives as part of the Trinity River
Restoration Program.
The December 2000 Trinity River Mainstem Fishery Restoration Record of Decision created a plan for the restoration of the Trinity River and its fish and
wildlife populations. The Program’s restoration strategy includes four different restoration elements, two of which include increased releases to the river
and sediment management. Flow regimes link two essential purposes deemed necessary to restore and maintain the Trinity River’s fishery resources: (1) flows
to provide physical fish habitat (i.e., appropriate depths and velocities, and suitable temperature regimes for anadromous salmonids) and (2) flows to
restore the riverine processes that create and maintain the structural integrity and spatial complexity of the fish habitats. More information on the
Trinity River ROD can be found at www.trrp.net/background/rod/.
A daily schedule of flow releases is available at www.trrp.net/restore/flows/current/, and
the public may subscribe to automated notifications (via phone or email) of Trinity River release changes. The flow release schedule is posted at the
Trinity River Restoration Program office, located at 1313 South Main Street, Weaverville, CA.
For additional information, please call 530-623-1800 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email info@trrp.net.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
