News Release Archive

Reclamation Increases Releases from Shasta Dam to the Sacramento River - Up to 70,000 cubic feet per second by Sunday

Media Contact: Louis Moore, 916-978-5100, wmoore@usbr.gov

For Release: February 09, 2017

SHASTA LAKE, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation plans to incrementally increase releases below Keswick Dam beginning Thursday evening, Feb. 9. Releases are expected to reach 50,000 cubic feet per second on Friday, 60,000 cfs on Saturday and 70,000 cfs on Sunday, Feb. 12. The increased releases are necessary to meet flood space regulatory requirements within Shasta Reservoir. Conditions are monitored real time and operational adjustments will be made as necessary and may occur on short notice.

Shasta Reservoir, located 10 miles north of Redding, provides water for people, fish and wildlife, hydropower, and environmental and salinity-control requirements in the Bay-Delta.

People along the Sacramento River downstream of Keswick Dam can expect river levels to increase and should take appropriate safety precautions.

Midnight reservoir elevation and flows from Keswick Dam may be found at Reclamation’s Central Valley Operations Office website at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo/vungvari/wtr_rpt.pdf . Current Sacramento River conditions may be found at the Department of Water Resources’ California Data Exchange Center website at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/river/upsacto1Stages.html .

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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.