reservoirs Archives

One Central Valley dam project gets nearly $95 million in funding; two others still in proposal phase

October 20, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Three dam expansion projects could increase water storage for use in the Central Valley by a whopping 304,000 acre feet. Each of the projects would raise existing dams, not build new ones. The project that is furthest along would raise the B.F. Sisk Dam in Merced County to expand San Luis Reservoir storage by 130,000…

Uncategorized

Kern River interests allowed to squeeze a little extra water into Lake Isabella this winter

October 18, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Kern River irrigators will be able to store more water than usual in Lake Isabella this winter, but not as much as they’d like. Typically, the “carry over” amount is 170,000 acre feet to allow enough room in the lake to handle a heavy winter. Isabella can hold 568,000 acre feet at full capacity. Agricultural…

Floods

Residents in small Tulare County towns take brunt of historic flooding

March 17, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Tulare County’s two main reservoirs both “filled and spilled” after the latest series of atmospheric rivers slammed into California starting March 10. The storms dumped rain on the San Joaquin Valley floor and melted at least some of the historic snowpack in upper elevations, swelling rivers and streams that flooded out residents of numerous communities. …

Drought

Water deal to keep taps flowing in Bakersfield even as Lake Isabella levels continue to drop

June 29, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Bakersfield City water managers learned from California’s last “epic” drought – don’t wait to make a deal. In 2015, city water managers scrambled to keep taps flowing for more than 20,000 Bakersfield residents as the Kern River ran so low the city had zero water entitlement coming down the river. The river is the only…

Drought

Hydro energy reduced as California reservoirs shrink

July 6, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

California’s reservoirs and rivers are startlingly low, forcing many of the state’s more than 270 hydropower facilities to generate less power. Lake Oroville, one of the state’s largest reservoirs, made headlines because its water levels have dropped so low the power plant may need to shut down for the first time. While most other hydropower…

Drought

Drought brings torrent of media attention to the Central Valley

June 17, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

The drought in California is making headlines every day across the country, and for good reason: Almost the entire state is in severe drought. And the whole San Joaquin Valley is experiencing extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories. As journalists set their sights on California, many news stories highlight impacts on farmers, particularly…

Floods

Dam repairs on track

June 11, 2021

• by Lois Henry

On schedule is probably the sweetest phrase a project manager can hear. For projects that are the size and scope of repairs to the Isabella and Schafer dams, being on schedule is especially important. “It’s been a long time coming and now we’re close to the finish line,” said Richard Brown, a spokesman for the…

NEWS

One Central Valley dam project gets nearly $95 million in funding; two others still in proposal phase

Kern River interests allowed to squeeze a little extra water into Lake Isabella this winter

Residents in small Tulare County towns take brunt of historic flooding

Water deal to keep taps flowing in Bakersfield even as Lake Isabella levels continue to drop

Hydro energy reduced as California reservoirs shrink

Drought brings torrent of media attention to the Central Valley

Dam repairs on track

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