[Water_news] 1. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS - Top Item for 10/17/08

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation for DWR personnel of significant news articles and comment

 

October 17, 2008

 

1.  Top Items -

 

 

Low tide at Berryessa

Islands appear as level dips, but lake not near record low

Napa ValleyRegister – 10/17/08

By JENNIFER HUFFMAN, Register Business Writer

 

The occasional visitor to Lake Berryessa might not notice it. But to regulars, the lake is looking different these days.

The reservoir is at its lowest level in 12 years, exposing increased amounts of shoreline and the one-time hills of the former town of Monticello.

Although the lake dropped 29 feet over the past four years, it remains substantially higher than the lowest recorded levels.

September 2008 statistics from the California Department of Water Resources measured the lake at 414 feet above sea level. Statistics from 1959 to the present day show that the reservoir reached its lowest levels in 1992, when it measured 361 feet above sea level.

Currently, Lake Berryessa has more than twice the amount of water as it had during the dry years of 1991 to 1995.

“Lake Berryessa is in much better shape than most other lakes in the state,” said Pete Lucero, chief of recreation resources for the Central California area office of the Bureau of Reclamation.

 

“In Folsom Lake you can’t hardly launch a boat,” he said. “At Lake Berryessa, while the levels are lower than typical, recreation is still completely available,” said Lucero.

There’s not much that can be done about water levels. “We’re not getting any rain and rain is what fills this lake,” said Lucero.

As the water level lowers, “you’ll see more land masses in places they wouldn’t normally be.”

The Oak Shores recreation area looks larger than normal, said Lucero, and the there are more islands nearby.

The main purpose of the lake isn’t recreation, Lucero said. “This lake is a reservoir first,” intended to store water to supply Solano County.

Chris Lacombe of Markley Cove Resort said lower lake levels make extra work for the marina.

“We have to constantly keep moving docks, anchors and walkways around,” said Lacombe. Visitors shouldn’t be concerned, though.  “We have a lot of launch ramp to go.”

“Boaters should be careful to know where they are,” said Lucero.  “As the water goes lower, more islands will pop up. They need to be cautious when they boat around the lake.”

Lacombe said a troubled economy poses more of a threat to lake business than water levels, though he said business is on a par with 2007.

Besides water levels, Lake Berryessa locals await news of lake resort concessionaire contracts. Lucero said that negotiations continue with contract winner Pensus Group, but the Bureau has nothing to announce.

“We are working diligently to get a contract signed as quickly as possible,” said Lucero.#

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2008/10/17/news/local/doc48f82659cddc2169879917.txt

 

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