California's Largest Reservoir Sees Water Levels Continue To Swell

California's largest reservoir has raised its dam gates as water continues to swell following heavy rainfall in the state. A deluge of rainfall in the western U.S. has seen Shasta Lake rise by nearly 10 feet in the last week alone. The level began to rise on January 17. Just under a week ago, its water levels were at 1,015.41 feet. Now, as of January 22, its water levels stand at 1,024.19.

The Sacramento River is the principal river of Northern California. Its drainage basin received much of the rain that soaked California over the last weekend and can expect more in the coming week. Last weekend a total of 1.71 inches of rain fell on Downtown Sacramento, near the end of the river's course, while neighboring El Dorado County saw 1.87 inches, according to Fox40. The Upper Sacramento River feeds into Lake Shasta. California's largest reservoir, this body of water was formed by the damming of the river in the early 1940s. The level of Lake Shasta is heavily influenced by precipitation patterns, as about 90 percent of its supply comes from rain water. The recent spike in precipitation means that the Lake is not far from being completely full. When this happens, the dam's gates are raised, to prevent any spill over.

Read more

• Virologist debunks age-old wisdom on treating fever
• Scientists warn chemicals in baby products may cause premature birth
• Neuroscientists reveal trick to help you study

The Bureau of Reclamation is not concerned about it causing any flooding just yet. Don Bader, an area manager for the agency, told local radio station KRCRTV that there is still room for 10 feet of water before they have to start considering flood measures. Newsweek has contacted the bureau via email for further information. It is hard to believe that in 2022, this reservoir was one of many in a dire situation due to severe drought conditions. But at the beginning of 2023, its water levels began to recover due to a particularly wet winter. This provided some much-needed storage for not just Shasta, but for other California lakes. At the beginning of January 2022, Lake Shasta's water levels were at a concerning 913.48 feet. The lake was not alone. Many of the reservoirs in the western U.S. were suffering due to a megadrought affecting the area. Experts put the prolonged drought conditions down to climate change, which caused a lack of seasonal rainfall. By April, when storms had stopped and the surrounding snowpack had melted, it had risen to around 1,051 feet. At this point, Jeff Mount, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California's Water Policy Center, told Newsweek that reservoirs statewide were "generally in good shape with most at or above their historical averages and some reservoirs having to let significant water go to maintain space for floods." The water in Lake Shasta is important for a variety of reasons as it is used for irrigation as well as hydropower generation. Despite the recent recovery in water levels, experts are still wary that the situation could deteriorate again in the future. It remains to be seen how the rest of 2024 will look for the reservoir. Update 01/25/24, 12:00 p.m. ET: Additional information was added for clarity. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about Lake Shasta? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.