California Rains and Drought Conditions

Dams Releasing Water
by Staff

As California continues to grapple a trifecta of drought conditions, downpours and looming flooding, and out-of-date infrastructure, many question why we are releasing water from reservoirs and dams.

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As California continues to grapple a trifecta of drought conditions, downpours and looming flooding, and out-of-date infrastructure, many question why we are releasing water from reservoirs and dams.

Amid a deluge of rain across California in the drought-stricken state, some dams are mysteriously releasing water despite the recent state of emergency regarding the drought.

In some parts of the state, there has been record rainfall this week, leading Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency to harbor a storm response quickly as landslides and power outages grip the state. Authorities in numerous communities also issued evacuation orders amid mud slide and flooding concerns.

 

Meanwhile, in Folsom Lake, in December, the region saw above-average precipitation in the capital region, marking optimism about the drought condition.

According to an article by CBS, "The operator has to draw it down to a certain level in the wintertime and then hold it in that level until the spring snowmelt season starts," said Jeanine Jones of the California Department of Water Resources.

Folsom Lake, for example, is handled by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers, but the Bureau released a statement stating that they expect a significant amount of precipitation and an inflow of snowmelt.

Now more than ever, landscape professionals are at the forefront of water management within their projects to manage resources when public management can draw curious questions.

Filed Under: DROUGHT, RAIN, INFRASTRUCTURE, LASN