Lake Shasta's water levels could rise after a late-season winter storm brings rain and snow to the region this weekend.
Some water officials are considering upping releases from California reservoirs to prepare for the anticipated influx of water associated with the incoming storm. Up to 24 inches of snow is forecast for the Sierra Nevada mountains, and lower-elevation areas are anticipating up to 3 inches of rain.
The incoming storm could affect water levels at Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville—California's largest and second-largest reservoirs, respectively—as the dry season begins. The storm could serve as one last boost to the major reservoirs before dry weather takes hold.
Lake Shasta has been holding steady at 1,060 feet since early April. Historically, the lake's levels begin to drop in June. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation manages the lake, and a spokesperson told Newsweek that officials do not plan to increase water releases to account for the incoming storm.
"Even though Shasta Dam is currently 96 percent full, we have enough space in the reservoir to account for the storms coming this weekend. We will not be increasing outflows based on our projections that the storms will not cause any problems adding to our storage in Shasta," the spokesperson said.
Lake Oroville has been steadily rising since late February, and water officials from California's Department of Water Resources announced that they would begin to transition into retaining any water that came in as the state entered its dry season. However, they could increase their releases to account for incoming moisture. The DWR releases water from Lake Oroville at 4,000 cubic feet per second, which could change this weekend.
"Light precipitation is forecast this weekend with dry weather following. DWR may increase releases starting Friday to account for elevated inflows into the reservoir," a DWR spokesperson previously told Newsweek.
As of Thursday morning, according to the DWR, Lake Shasta was at 96 percent capacity, which is 114 percent of the historical average. Lake Oroville was at 98 percent capacity, or 127 percent of the historical average.
The state's water outlook is a positive one, especially as the above-average snowpack—including that from this incoming storm—continues to melt and supplement the lakes, rivers and reservoirs across the state. California receives 30 percent of its water supply from snowpack melt.
The Golden State's reservoirs reached concerningly low levels in the summer of 2022 after battling years of drought, but an abnormally wet winter last year helped alleviate that problem. At the start of 2024, snowpack levels were much lower than expected, but the snowpack recovered earlier this year after a series of atmospheric rivers brought torrential rain and heavy snowfall to the state. Snowpack was above average by the time it began melting in April.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more
