The Bureau of Reclamation announced today that releases from Lewiston Dam into the Trinity River will increase on Saturday, April 22, and will reach approximately 11,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) by Wednesday, April 26. The peak flow will continue until Friday, April 28.
Releases will decrease to 2,050 cfs on May 7 and ramp up to 5,400 cfs on May 10. The releases will start ramping down on June 4 until the summer base flow of 450 cfs is reached on August 11. People residing near the river or recreating on the river can expect river levels to increase and should take appropriate safety precautions. Landowners are advised to clear personal items from the floodplain prior to the releases.
The December 2000 Trinity River Mainstem Fishery Restoration Record of Decision (ROD) created a plan for the restoration of the Trinity River and its fish and wildlife populations. The Program’s restoration strategy includes four different restoration elements, two of which include increased releases to the river and sediment management. Flow regimes link two essential purposes deemed necessary to restore and maintain the Trinity River’s fishery resources: (1) flows to provide physical fish habitat (i.e., appropriate depths and velocities, and suitable temperature regimes for anadromous salmonids) and (2) flows to restore the riverine processes that create and maintain the structural integrity and spatial complexity of the fish habitats.
More information on the Trinity River ROD can be found at www.trrp.net/background/rod/ .
The releases for this “extremely wet” 2017 water year will result in an annual total volume of 815,000 acre-feet. The releases meet “extremely wet” water year objectives of the ROD and efficiently promote additional geomorphic change in the river by increasing hydrologic variability.
A daily schedule of flow releases is available at www.trrp.net/restore/flows/current / , and the public may subscribe to automated notifications (via phone or email) of Trinity River release changes. The flow release schedule is posted at the Trinity River Restoration Program office, located at 1313 South Main Street, Weaverville.
For additional information, please contact Kevin Held at 530-623-1809 (TTY 800-877-8339) or kheld@usbr.gov or visit www.trrp.net.
