Large US lake expected to completely fill after years of historic drought: ‘We feel very good’

California’s largest reservoir is expected to reach capacity this year, and likely reach full or near full capacity for the second time in a row after several years of historically low water levels.

Shasta Lake rose 12 feet between March 1 and 26 and needs another 17 feet to reach its limit, the Redding Record Searchlight reported.

“We expect it to climb to the top,” said Don Bader, regional manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, according to the news outlet.

As of March 27, the lake was 90% full and 115% of average for this time of year. However, Bader noted the difficulty of filling it completely, as the lake is narrow at the bottom and widens at the top.

In March, the bureau began limiting water released from Shasta Dam to allow the lake to fill, according to Record Searchlight. By March 13, it was releasing 14,000 cubic feet per second, the equivalent of 377 million gallons per hour. It had reduced the flow to 3,569 cubic feet per second two weeks later, when more than three times that amount was flowing into the lake.

“The rain right now is perfect so we can top it off by the end of April,” Bader told the newspaper.

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The lake is one of the state’s most crucial sources of fresh water, sending water as far south as Bakersfield for drinking, agricultural irrigation and wildlife habitat through the Central Valley Water Project.

According to a previous Record Searchlight report, Lake Shasta was 24% full and was 175 feet from the top of the dam in late 2021. However, atmospheric rivers flooded the area, reviving several bodies of water like Lake Shasta and the Tulare Lake.

While Lake Shasta will benefit the entire state, the local economy will also likely experience its most profitable summer season since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We feel great. Last year we had a beautiful lake, full water level, and it was fantastic. Not only the cabin tours, but our dinner cruises were record-breaking. This year , we expect the same, but on an even better and positive note,” said Matt Doyle, general manager of Lake Shasta Caverns.

“This will finally be the year where it seems like COVID is almost a distant memory. Employees are coming back, lake levels are rising and businesses are doing well.”

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