The people who dock their boats at Folsom Lake, about 25 miles east of Sacramento, keep track of how dry the reservoir is by how many steps it takes to get from the parking lot to the floating dock.<\/p>\n
In the spring, when melting snow and rainfall fill the lake\u2019s basin, less than ten steps peek out from above the water. Last week, the number was 80. Jeff Gomez said he made sure to count as he trekked up and down the stairs eight different times. \u201cI came down to refuel the boat,\u201d Gomez said as he caught his breath after dragging a cooler down the 80 steps. \u201cThat took two trips. Now this was two trips.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gomez and his family were getting ready for one of their final boat rides of the year. Folsom Lake is at half its capacity, and low water levels will force Gomez and everyone else who docks their boats in the lake to remove their crafts from the water by Sunday, August 11.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not unusual for Folsom Lake to lose water over the course of the summer, but the boat-removal order typically comes in the fall, not early August. \u201cIt\u2019s not shocking, because we expected it. Lack of snow, lack of rain\u201d said Gomez as he prepped his speedboat for an afternoon of tubing. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of sad, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
More at KQED.org<\/a> >>><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The people who dock their boats at Folsom Lake, about 25 miles east of Sacramento, keep track of how dry the reservoir is by how many steps it takes to get from the parking lot to the floating dock. In the spring, when melting snow and rainfall fill the lake\u2019s basin, less than ten steps … Continue reading Low Water Levels Forcing Boats Out Of Folsom Lake<\/span>