The Morning Glory spillway at Lake Berryessa is visible again after heavy winter rains, marking the first time since 2019 it has spilled over. This 72-foot wide drain functions to prevent flooding by redirecting excess water into Putah Creek. With the lake's water level surpassing 440 feet, locals and tourists have been drawn to the highway turnoff to observe this striking natural phenomenon. The spillway, built between 1953 and 1957, has only operated 25 times in its history, making this event especially noteworthy.
Seeing the glory hole experience spillover is a rare treat. Most of the time, Lake Berryessa's water level stays below 440 feet, and this hulking concrete pipe juts out over the lakes surface.
It's definitely worth seeing. I've been lucky enough to see it a few times... It's just not that common.
Built between 1953 and 1957, this drain has only been used 25 times in its nearly 70 year history.
When high water levels cause the glory hole to spring into action, tourists flock to a turnoff on Highway 128 where they can safely watch the spillover.
Collection
[
|
...
]