Report provided by:

Matthew Meadows, Assistant Watermaster

 

Effective immediately, June 21, 2023, the Army Corps of Engineers flood release target from Pine Flat is being reduced by 400 cfs today, and 400 cfs Saturday. Both changes will occur around 24:00 hours. This morning the Pine Flat order was ~9,850 cfs. By Sunday, June 25, 2023, the order at Pine Flat will be approximately 9,050 cfs for a flood release target of 2,150 cfs at Crescent Weir. Outflow from Pine Flat will fluctuate based on irrigation demand, with anticipated releases between 8,900 to 9,100 cfs on Sunday and Monday.

The target flood release in the South Fork Kings River remains at zero, only irrigation orders are being diverted into the South Fork at Army Weir. The flood release target in the North Fork below Crescent Weir will be reduced as the changes at Pine Flat occur. As of this morning, the target flood release in the North Fork was 2,950 cfs.

 

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 June 21, 2023.

16,000 cfs (estimated) Pre Project Piedra (Full natural flow at Piedra, 3 miles downstream of Pine Flat Dam. Includes Mill and Hughes Creek flows)

9,850 cfs Total Order at Pine Flat.  (Order includes flood release, local demands and estimated channel losses)

9,830 cfs Pine Flat Reservoir Release

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

6,180 cfs flow at Reedley Narrows (approximately three miles upstream of the City of Reedley, Capacity per ACOE Reservoir Control Manual 13,000 cfs)

5,370 cfs flow Below Peoples Weir (approximately one mile downstream of Highway 99, Capacity per ACOE Reservoir Control Manual 11,000 cfs)

280 cfs, South Fork of Kings River, release below Army Weir

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

3,300 cfs flow below Crescent Weir, 2950 cfs target flood release below Crescent Weir (approximately three miles downstream of Highway 41)

 

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

708,931 acre-feet Pine Flat storage (Capacity 1,000,000 acre-feet)

239,321 acre-feet Upstream storage (Capacity 251,900 acre-feet)

303,648 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