Overview
- Lake Shasta has climbed roughly 30–36 feet since mid-December and is about 79–80% full, or roughly 132% of the date’s average, state data show.
- Storage at other major reservoirs is well above typical levels for early January, including Oroville at about 135% of average and Trinity at about 137%, with Hetch Hetchy near 130%.
- Dam managers, including at Shasta and Oroville, have increased controlled releases to manage continuing runoff and reduce downstream flood risk.
- The National Weather Service expects a break in storms for about 10–14 days, though residual inflows are still reaching reservoirs.
- DWR’s first snow survey put statewide snowpack near 71% of average, and experts say recent gains lower near-term shortage risk even as some local systems, such as Anderson Reservoir, remain constrained by repairs.