Rains raise Northern California reservoir lake levels including at Berryessa

"State water officials are watching closely, a massive jump at Lake Shasta, where water levels climbed 16 feet in six days, rising from just over 994 feet on Dec. 19 to 1,010 feet by Dec. 25, according to the California Department of Water Resources. The reservoir is now above the historical average for late December. Shasta Lake is the state's largest reservoir by capacity and plays a critical role in flood control, water supply, and hydropower."

"Closer to home, local water officials are watching levels rise at Lake Berryessa, which has seen well over 5 inches of rain since storms began Dec. 19. Lake Berryessa is not part of the state water reservoir system (it is a federal reservoir owned by the Bureau of Reclamation and managed as part of the Solano Project). But the rain doesn't make those kinds of distinctions, so the local reservoir is seeing just as much of an impact from the recent storms."

Atmospheric rivers delivered heavy rain and runoff across Northern California, rapidly increasing reservoir levels in late December. Lake Shasta rose 16 feet in six days, surpassing the historical late-December average and restoring significant capacity for flood control, water supply, and hydropower. Lake Berryessa received over five inches of rain, rising more than a foot to about 430.94 feet, with capacity at 440 feet. Saturated soils around the lake mean additional storms will produce substantial runoff and further rises. National forecasts for January show mixed precipitation chances, with drier tendencies in Southern California and near-normal conditions elsewhere.

Read at The Mercury News