‘Above average’ rain to trigger more water releases from Folsom Dam

“It looks like the storm door is opening,” California Department of Water Resources Chief Hydrologist Maury Roos said.

The storms are expected to help increase California’s water supply.

“If the forecasts are right, we’ll get above average precipitation for the month of March,” Roos explained.

That’s good news, especially for the Sierra where yesterday’s survey in Phillips, California revealed snowpack levels are at just 85 percent of average for this time of year.

“Obviously, El Niño is not living up to expectations,” Water Resources Snow Survey Chief Frank Gehrke said.

But the prospect of more snow in the Sierra could mean more snowmelt into the American River, leading to higher water levels at Folsom Lake. That’s why the Federal Bureau of Reclamation is looking to make adjustments for the release of water from Folsom Dam.

“Based on this being a widespread storm, we do expect some increased runoff,” the Bureau’s spokesperson Louis Moore said.

The Bureau is anticipating additional releases from Folsom Dam in the days ahead.

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