Lakes across the state shockingly low
In 35 years, nobody’s seen numbers like these.
In a personal survey this week of 125 recreation lakes, 33 are under 25 percent full, and that includes 19 that are less than 10 percent full and four that are empty.
Across California, Marin County is the one region that has thrived despite the drought. Last spring’s rains followed by conservation over the summer have kept five of its seven lakes over 70 percent full. There are other bright spots across Northern California for those who love lake-based recreation, even in the offseason.
The big picture is this: On the eve of what’s forecast to be an El Niño-driven winter, it appears most of California has gone to the bank of chances and is going all-in on the hopes of a big winter of rain and snow to bail it out.
The Tahoe region provides a bleak scene, though a fast start to winter this week also provides hope.
Lake Tahoe is now 9.1 feet from full. When you drive around the lake, you’ll see vast areas of lake bed exposed in some areas where docks and boat ramps are out of the water. At Tahoe City, where Lake Tahoe flows into the Truckee River at Fanny Bridge, the lake is below the rim at the river mouth and, in turn, there is no flow and the river has been converted into a rock bed with series of still shallow pools.
Near Truckee, giant Stampede Reservoir (12 percent full), Boca (13), Prosser Creek (26) and Donner (37), are not only low, but for those who love these places, grim.
The good news is that two snowstorms have hit Tahoe in the past week. The high flank of the Sierra Crest, above 9,000 feet, received about 2 feet. Many will tell you, “The air feels like winter,” like the old days when many Tahoe ski areas opened by Thanksgiving.
Beyond the numbers, the sight of so many lakes so low would shock anybody who has not seen them. It seems no region of California is untouched.
In northeastern California, Eagle Lake, long the site of one of the best trout fisheries in the Western U.S., is the lowest in 80 years. In the Sierra foothills, giant New Melones, a prize lake for all recreation, is at 11 percent.
In Yosemite National Park, at wilderness boundary near Hetch Hetchy, huge Eleanor Lake is 4 percent full. High in the west Sierra, Edison Lake, long one of the best lakes for camping, a trailhead to reach the John Muir Trail and fishing for brown trout, is 4 percent full.
In the foothills west of the Sacramento Valley, one of the great bass lakes — well, it used to be — Indian Valley, is at 5 percent. On the Central Coast, another great recreation lake, San Antonio, which I once rated as the best bass lake in California, is 3 percent full.
This might be difficult to fathom, but conditions are even worse in the foothills of the southern Sierra and in remote Lassen County.
On the south flank of the Sierra, six lakes are less than 10 percent full, and another, Pine Flat, is at 12 percent.
In eastern Lassen County, several lakes that are nestled in alkali flats are dry. That includes vast Honey Lake and its wildlife area along U.S. 395 south of Susanville, with a footprint that spans 70 square miles; the expanse is dotted with only a few shallow pools from this week’s rain. McCoy Flat, which the state Department of Fish and Wildlife once studied for its unique ability to grow giant trout, has become a meadow.
Good news never gets the attention of a potential calamity, but for those who love to hike, bike, boat, fish and wildlife watch near lakes with plenty of water, more than 20 significant lakes are 70 percent full or higher.
In addition, for those who own kayaks with a tow dolly, the ability to launch anywhere puts any lake with water (where boating is permitted) in play. With drought conditions in the Central Valley, it means any watershed with freshwater or wetlands will provide a landing spot for 10 million waterfowl and shorebirds on the flyway and heading south to California.
At the Peninsula’s Crystal Springs Watershed, the lakes are high. Though restricted access is allowed in the watershed, the adjacent 15-mile Crystal Springs Trail (and its link to Cañada Road on Bicycle Sundays) provides one of the prettiest settings for a bike trail in California.
In the East Bay hills, Los Vaqueros north of Livermore will host a field class for children (with their parents) who want to learn how to fish; loaner rods are available, first-come, first-served; 9 a.m. start Saturday.
The closest lake to the Bay Area that allows boating and is full is Lake Hennessey (many call it Conn Dam) north of Napa. Hennessey is 87 percent full, and with a 10-horsepower limit for boat motors, is quiet and beautiful.
Across Northern California, other recreation lakes for boating and fishing that are high include Lewiston (96 percent full) near Weaverville, Englebright (92) east of Yuba City, Whiskeytown (86) west of Redding, Britton (84) near Burney, and Bucks (83) near Quincy.