SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation is scheduled to increase releases below Nimbus Dam Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. from 15,000 cubic feet per second to reach 35,000 cfs by 1 p.m. Should inflows continue at current levels or increase, additional releases may be required.
The increased releases are based on changing conditions and are necessary to maintain space in Folsom Reservoir for projected Sierra runoff. Current storage in the reservoir is around 158 percent of its 15-year average for December.
Folsom Reservoir, located 26 miles northeast of Sacramento, provides water for people, fish and wildlife, hydropower, and environmental and salinity-control requirements in the Bay-Delta.
People recreating in or along the lower American River downstream of Folsom Dam to the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers can expect river levels to increase and should take appropriate safety precautions. Some inundation along the American River’s recreational trails and at Discovery Park are expected.
Midnight Reservoir Elevation and Flows for Folsom may be found at Reclamation’s Central Valley Operations Office website at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo/vungvari/wtr_rpt.pdf. Current American River conditions may be found at the Department of Water Resources’ California Data Exchange Center website at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/river/americanStages.html.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
