News Release Archive

Reclamation Increasing Releases into Lower American River for Storage Management

Up to 80,000 cubic feet per second by 2 p.m. Thursday

Media Contact: Louis Moore, 916-978-5100, 02/09/2017 10:10

For Release: February 09, 2017

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation is incrementally increasing releases below Nimbus Dam from 40,000 cubic feet per second to 80,000 cfs by 2 p.m. Feb. 9. The increased releases are necessary to meet flood space regulatory requirements within Folsom Reservoir. Conditions are monitored real time and operational adjustments will be made as necessary and may occur on short notice.

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

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

Midnight reservoir elevation and flows from Folsom Dam may be found at Reclamation’s Central Valley Operations Office website at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo/vungvari/wtr_rpt.pdf. 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.