News Release Archive

Reclamation Prepares to Manage Inflows from Series of Forecasted Storms

Media Contact: Shane Hunt, 916-978-5100, shunt@usbr.gov

For Release: March 03, 2016

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation is preparing for flood operations to manage increased runoff into Folsom Reservoir as a series of storms are scheduled to move through the area over the next several days.

Reclamation will continue to monitor weather conditions and will increase releases from Nimbus Dam into the lower American River as needed to maintain flood space requirements in Folsom Reservoir. Current storage in the reservoir is 117 percent of the 15-year average (62 percent of capacity).

Located 26 miles northeast of Sacramento, Folsom Reservoir provides water for people, fish and wildlife, hydropower, the environment, and salinity-control requirements in the Bay-Delta.

People recreating in or along the American River downstream of Folsom and Nimbus dams to the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers can expect river levels to increase and should take appropriate safety precautions.

Midnight Reservoir Elevation and Flows for Folsom may be found at Reclamation’s Central Valley Operations Office website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo/. Current American River conditions may be found at the Department of Water Resources’ California Data Exchange Center website at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/river/americanStages.html.

# # #

The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.