A powerful start to the rainy season has left North Bay reservoirs at the “seasonal brim,” transforming the local water outlook from concern to abundance.
According to the Press Democrat, following back-to-back atmospheric rivers, Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino are both sitting at over 100 percent of their target capacity for this time of year. The surge was so significant that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released over 22,000 gallons of water per second from Warm Springs Dam to maintain space for future storms.
Sonoma Water officials say that even if the rain were to stop today, Lake Sonoma currently holds enough water to ensure a reliable supply for the 700,000 customers it serves through the end of the year.
While the saturated watershed is great news for summer recreation and local taps, engineers remain cautiously optimistic, noting that spring rainfall will ultimately determine how long these plentiful supplies will last.