Storms Boost Folsom Lake From Record Lows, But Levels Still Down From A Year Ago
By Abbott Dutton
FOLSOM LAKE (CBS13) — In a month since Folsom Lake hit a historic low, recent rains are helping lake levels inch back up.
On Wednesday, the lake was still more sand than water, but a continuing El Nino pattern may help change that.
Shane Hunt with the Bureau of Reclamation says the lake level has gone up.
"We've seen the lake come up about 30 feet since it hit the low in December, but we're still about 30 feet below where we were at this time last year," he said.
Folsom Lake hit its historic low on Dec. 5 when it dropped to 135,000 acre feet. It's currently at 250,000 acre feet, an 85 percent increase in one month.
"We'd be much happier if we were at 400,000 than the 250,000, but we're glad to see the lake come up as much as it has in a short amount of time," he said.
Thomas Husey remembers how quickly things changed during the drought in the 1970s.
"Happens every so many years. It gets dry and then it gets wet so it's all good," he said. "That happened in November 1977 and right after that deluge and the water level came up."