Low Water Levels In Folsom Lake Put Summer Boating Season At Risk
FOLSOM (CBS13) - Swimming, boating, and, fishing are popular activities on Folsom Lake, but low water levels may make those activities difficult this summer.
Denise Wieland has lived in the area for almost a decade and said she has never seen the lake so drained.
"When I first moved here in 2012, the lake level was practically up to a bike path so it's receded almost half a mile," she said.
CBS13 asked state park rangers why water levels are so low, and they attribute it to low rain and snow levels.
"This year, in comparison to the last four years, we have noticed not as good precipitation and snowpack as we've normally seen," said Tristan Rosenberger, state park ranger.
Rosenberger said dry winter months up in the Sierra meant less water during the summer months down in Folsom.
"Our expectation with the water level, considering the current snowpack we have is below average, we can probably see a shortened window of boating season," Rosenberger said.
Avid boaters in Folsom were feeling bummed about the lack of water.
"We love boating and we want to be here through august but we will probably have to quit in July. Surfing, wake surfing, surfing," one person said.
But because water levels are below 400 feet, the max speed limit for boats is only 5 miles per hour, which means water skiing and wake surfing are definitely out of the question.
"The lower water level can be a bummer for a lot of people but there's still a great opportunity for them to come out and enjoy themselves," Rosenberger said.
Park rangers said water is being released from the Folsom Dam to support the power station at the base and to help farmers with irrigation. Those obligations combined with a lack of snowfall coming down from the Sierra are a bad combination for water levels.
Rangers don't expect levels to increase significantly this summer.