Report provided by:

Matthew Meadows, Assistant Watermaster

This is an information and conditions update. As of today, no scheduled changes to our current flood release targets from Pine Flat.  The target in the South Fork is 2,500 cfs. The target flow is being routed through a combination of Army Wier and the Crescent By-pass.  The target flow in the North Fork below Crescent Weir will remain at 4,750 cfs. The order from Pine Flat is currently about 12,500 cfs. We are expecting irrigation demand to continue increasing in the short-term, likely Pine Flat releases in the 12,700 – 13,500 cfs range.

 

Releases will continue to be adjusted accordingly to meet irrigation orders, local creeks entering below Pine Flat and changing conditions.

All data is provisional and subject to revision.

We will circulate updates as conditions change.

 

Status of flows below Pine Flat Dam as of 0700 April 21, 2023.

6,500 cfs (estimated) Pre Project Piedra (Full natural flow at Piedra, 3 miles downstream of Pine Flat Dam. Includes Mill and Hughes Creek flows)

12,510 cfs Total Order at Pine Flat.  (Order includes flood release, local demands and estimated channel losses)

12,320 cfs Pine Flat Reservoir Release

200 cfs Mill and Hughes Creeks (Unobstructed gauge several miles below Pine Flat Reservoir)

9,800 cfs flow at Reedley Narrows (approximately three miles upstream of the City of Reedley, Capacity per ACOE Reservoir Control Manual 13,000 cfs)

9,370 cfs flow Below Peoples Weir (approximately one mile downstream of Highway 99, Capacity per ACOE Reservoir Control Manual 11,000 cfs)

1,850 cfs, South Fork of Kings River, release below Army Weir

620 cfs, Crescent Bypass, water diverted from the North Fork to the South Fork

4,630 cfs flow below Crescent Weir, 4750 cfs target flood release below Crescent Weir (approximately three miles downstream of Highway 41)

 

Status of Pine Flat as of 2400 hours April 20, 2023

496,562 acre-feet Pine Flat storage (Capacity 1,000,000 acre-feet)

72,722 acre-feet Upstream storage (Capacity 251,900 acre-feet)

682,616 acre-feet vacant storage space on the Kings River system

 

For More Information, Please Contact:

STEVE HAUGEN, Kings River Water Association Watermaster, (559) 217-5249

DAVID MERRITT, Kings River Conservation District General Manager, (559) 237-5567
RICK BROWN, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Sacramento District Public Affairs, (916) 557-5102
RANDY McFARLAND, KRWA Public Information Consultant, (559) 260-2775