Trinity River Holding Steady
The Trinity River is holding steady at this time as is Trinity Lake. With the snow pack almost gone, I wonder just how well the lake will hold up through the drought. Many of the stater reservoirs are holding but I have noticed traveling I-5 that many rice fields are not planted this year. If rice fields are not being planted how many other farmers are not planting because of the drought. One thing being noticed is that some of the cities are now starting to feel the crunch of limited water. I did notice Mad River was lower than normal for this time of year when we went into Eureka last week. That must mean that the water in Ruth Lake is starting to see less water supply for the year. In checking the California Reservoir system that Oroville Lake was 54% of normal which would be 68% of capacity for this time of year. Not looking good for water supply for the coming summer.
It appears that the Fishing Industry is going ahead with the law suit against the Bureau of Reclamation for them to provide and up to date “Biological Opinion” for the Klamath Trinity River system. It is about time that BOR starts to use some up-to-date science instead of 20- to 40-year-old data when we have plenty of relevant science available. The rivers need it and the fish need it if we are going to have a sustainable fishery!
Scott River screw trapping summary: estimate of 397,911 age 0+ Chinook Salmon have out-migrated from the Scott River to date and 72,678 age 1+ Coho have out migrated. June 3, 2022; 27,760 age 0+ and 67 age 1+ Chinook; Coho salmon age 0+265 and 1,650 aged 1+ Coho salmon have out-migrated this week.
Shasta River screw trapping summary: an estimated1,490,630 Chinook salmon aged 0+ and 2,376 Coho aged 1+ have outmigrating form the Shasta River. June 3, 2022; 376 aged 0+ and 31 aged 1+ Chinook salmon have outmigrated; 215 aged 0+ and 549 aged 1+ Coho were counted this week.
Fishing: The river is still a bit high but gen clear. The problem is there is very few fish in the river at this time. There is some outmigrating smolt and trout with a few run-backs in the mix. This is good for some summer action with ultra-light fishing gear. The summer run steelhead have yet to appear and the ocean run Brown Trout are in high gear going up river. Up river has been seeing very light action at this time but will pick up by next month hopefully. The spring flows are beginning to end and the Trinity will be back to summer flows of 450cfs.
Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 6,842cfs. This is a decrease of 2,227cfs. Iron Gate Dam is releasing 1,030cfs. The Orleans area is not seeing very much fishing at this time of year and I haven’t heard about much fishing up in the Happy Camp area either. I would imagine that trout fishing above I-5 should be picking up for the summer.
Lake Conditions: Whiskeytown is 98% of capacity (an increase of 0%) with inflows of 1,031cfs and releasing 697cfs in to Spring Creek. Shasta Lake is 40% of capacity (a decrease of 0% minus 0ft) with inflows of 1,831cfs and releasing 3,123cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 91% (an increase of 2%) with inflows of 3,649cfs and releasing 3,796cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 54% of capacity (a decrease of 0% minus 2ft) with inflows of 3,320cfs with releases of 4,447cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 88% of capacity (an increase of 0% minus 1t) with inflows of 1,650cfs with releases of 1,851cfs into the American river.
Trinity Lake: The lake is 148ft below the overflow (an increase of 1ft) and 30% of capacity (a decrease of 1%) with inflows of 634cfs and releasing 1,077cfs into Lewiston Lake with 627cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown Lake and on to Keswick Power Plant, which is releasing 3,796cfs into the Sacramento River.
Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 96% of capacity (an increase of 1%) and water releases are 450cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 53.1 degrees, as of 9:00am today Saturday June 4, 2022. Limekiln Gulch is 4.90ft at 457cfs. Douglas City is 6.55ft with flows of 479cfs with water temperatures of 55.8 degrees. Junction City is 2.03ft at 500cfs. Helena is 9.05ft at 680cfs with water temps of 57.3 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is 3.72ft at 935cfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 2.90ft at 395cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 1,330cfs and air is 63 degrees and water at 58.5 degrees, the river is gen clear and at summer flows. Hoopa is 13.13ft at 2,065cfs and water is 61 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath in Weitchpec are estimated to be 6,842cfs a decrease of 2,227cfs.
Klamath River flows and conditions: Iron Gate is releasing 1,030cfs. Seiad Valley is 3.05ft at 1,912cfs. Indian Creek is 4.40ft at 325cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 2,237cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 3,275cfs, and the Salmon River is 3.44ft at 1,462cfs. Orleans is 4.61ft at 4,737cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 10.76ft at 8,090cfs and water temps are 60.3 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jed Smith are 6.52ft with flows of 1,393cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 13.14 ft at N/A cfs.
Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 90 and a low of 41 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.0in (just a trace) with a water year total to date of 54.67 inches and 5.0in of snow in Willow Creek. We are experiencing some late spring showers for the weekend. The predicted weather for next week is high of 89 and a low of 51 with the possibility of a few showers but mostly just cloudy skies.