Already fuller this year than it was this time a year ago, Lake Shasta continues to fill with water, slowly moving toward the top, sometimes rising just a few inches each day. But by early May, lake levels are expected to stop rising and the lake’s long-term drawdown will begin again and continue throughout the summer.
Michael Burke, spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates Shasta Dam, said the lake is expected to reach about 5 feet in early May.
As of Friday, the lake was 6 feet below the top, with the water level reaching 1,067 meters, according to the agency. People visiting Shasta Lake and Shasta Dam on Friday were in awe of the changes that have occurred in the lake over the past two years.
Grant Gregory and Lisa Conroy said they had good reason to drive to Shasta Lake for lunch on Friday.
“Because she’s full and she’s beautiful,” Conroy said. “It’s a blessing. It’s awesome. It’s a gift from nature to have the rainfall we’ve had over the last two winters refill this reservoir.”
This time last year, the lake was about 11 feet deep and did not reach its maximum depth until May 24, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
Two years ago, conditions at the lake were dire and water levels dropped to record lows. Communities and farms across California that rely on water from Lake Shasta are facing severe water cuts due to drought across the state.
On April 19, 2022, the lake’s elevation was 943 feet, 118 feet lower than on the same date in 2024.
more:Drought-stricken Lake Shasta and other Northern California lakes in good condition after rain
Drought conditions were so severe in 2022 that the Anderson Cottonwood Irrigation District was unable to deliver water to customers for the first time in its 106-year history due to drastic cuts by the agency.
Other communities serving homes and businesses also have strict water restrictions in place due to the drought. But as the lake fills up more and more this year, many water agencies are getting their full allotments from the water board.
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Burke noted that the lake will continue to fill up in April as more water flows in from the release of Shasta Dam. On Friday, 12,044 cubic feet of water flowed into the lake per second, while 8,337 cubic feet of water was released from the dam, according to the bureau.
At some point this spring, the amount of water flowing out of the dam will exceed the amount flowing into the reservoir, and water levels will continue to drop until farms stop irrigating and rains begin again in the fall.
more:South Shasta County residents deal with drought not seen in 100 years
The bureau sells water to customers in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, as well as some Bay Area cities. The water flows south through the Sacramento River into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, then flows south again through several canals.
Burke said discharges from the lake will reach their highest levels in July, at about 12,000 cubic feet per second.
Jayden Rankin, 10, of McKinleyville, was out visiting Lake Shasta on Friday and saw the additional benefits the water provides for wildlife on the Sacramento River.
“I think it’s great that it’s so full because it means more salmon or fish can thrive in it and survive more often and provide us with food,” Jayden said.
Reporter Damon Arthur Story tips are welcome at 530-338-8834, damon.arthur@redding.com and on X (formerly Twitter)@damonarthur_RS.Help local journalism thriveSubscribe today!
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