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Low water warning for Lake Tahoe

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 10, 2008 at 6:43 am

From the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza:

As Lake Tahoe sinks toward its natural rim, area boat ramps are closing due to the low water level. The boat ramps in Kings Beach and Tahoe Vista closed after Labor Day, and the Sand Harbor boat ramp plans to close Monday, Sept. 15.

“I wanted to get past this peak season before we close the ramp, but we are seeing people get stuck out there,” said Jay Howard, superintendent of Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park, which includes the Sand Harbor facility.

The lake level dropped rapidly over the Labor Day weekend:

High winds during the Labor Day weekend rapidly lowered the lake, according to Chad Blanchard, chief deputy water master in the federal Water Master’s office. Lake Tahoe dropped 18/100s of a foot over four days that weekend, he said.

Tuesday’s lake level of 6224.04 elevation feet is only a foot above the natural rim, which was last recorded in January 2005. Depending on weather conditions, Blanchard expects Tahoe to be at its natural rim again in late November or December this year.

Lake Tahoe has a 6.1-foot reservoir on top of its natural rim, which supplies downstream water. Already, the gates at the Lake Tahoe Dam in Tahoe City are wide open, and as the lake level lowers, water flowing into the river will have to be augmented by releases from Prosser and Boca reservoirs. Boca Reservoir is at 31,000 acre feet right now, but once it drops to 29,000 acre feet, that boat ramp will be dry as well, Blanchard said.

Read more from the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza by clicking here.

September 10, 2008 · Filed Under Lake Tahoe & the Sierra's

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