Early-season rain builds hope for 2017

The start of rainy season and its effects on the outdoors next year already are showing promise.

The little-seen numbers from water agencies show there is a good chance of a great 2017 for camping at lakes and streams, as well as for boating, rafting, fishing and water sports.

Over the weekend, I reviewed reports made by about 25 water districts to the state Department of Water Resources and federal Bureau of Reclamation. This is what I found:

Northern California watersheds: Of 91 major recreation lakes, 68 are at or above 100 percent of normal for this date and another five are above 90 percent. Only 18 reservoirs are lower. In addition, reservoirs in 15 of the 24 major river systems are well above normal. One of the best examples is the Mokelumne River watershed, which feeds Jenkinson (127 percent of normal), Lower Bear River Reservoir (126), Salt Springs (142), Pardee (109) and Camanche (117).

Marin prototype: Through local conservation, the Marin Municipal Water District entered the fall with its lakes higher than any other region in the state. On top of that, it already has rained 17.33 inches at the gauge at Lake Lagunitas (near Fairfax), which is 192 percent of average for the date and 600 percent higher than at this time last year; a year ago at this time, it was 2.69 inches. Lake capacity for this date is already 78 percent, 120 percent of normal. It’s likely Marin lakes Lagunitas, Bon Tempe, Alpine, Kent, Nicasio, Soulajule, Phoenix and Stafford will make Marin’s the first to fill of any region in the state .

The stunners: In many areas, the early-season rain totals are mind-boggling. At Blue Canyon Airport, located at Nyack along Interstate-80 in the central Sierra, the gauge has recorded 22.25 inches, 205 percent of normal (last year at this time, it had 6.7 inches). In the north state, the gauge at Stouts Meadow, located near the headwaters of the McCloud River, has recorded 36.75 inches. In Del Norte County, the gauge at Forest Service district office in Gasquet on the Smith River is at 41.72, the highest in the state.