Dreaming of a wet winter at Lake Tahoe

By Annie Flanzraich
Bonanza News Editor

With Lake Tahoe’s water level nearing the natural rim, water authorities are hoping for record-breaking precipitation to bring the water level up.

“We really desperately need a big winter and a big snowpack to bring Lake Tahoe back up again,” said Federal Water Master Garry Stone.

When the water in Lake Tahoe nears the natural rim, which is 6223 feet, water flows less quickly into the Truckee River. As of Wednesday night the lake measured at 6223.25. Normally there are about 250 cubic feet per second running into the Truckee. Right now the rate is about 12 cubic feet per second, Stone said. If the lake level drops below the natural rim no more water will flow into the Truckee.

“We can’t get any more water out of it,” Stone said. “It’s like a bathtub, we do not have the ability to release water through the natural rim.”

After that water from Boca Reservoir and smaller natural streams will flow through the Truckee. Stone said there is enough water in Boca to supply the river until sometime in December.

While the level of the lake does not affect water supply at the towns and villages in the Basin, it does affect other areas like Reno, Stone said.

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