Runoff from this week’s powerful storms has pushed Lake Cachuma to the brim, and officials said Friday they have begun releasing water from the reservoir.
As of 2:45 p.m. Friday, the reservoir was at 98% of capacity, and a little more than a foot from spill level.
Officials begun releasing water from the lake at 9 a.m. in anticipation of more runoff in the coming hours and days, according to Lael Wageneck, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department.
All four of the outflow gates at Bradbury Dam, which forms the lake, have been opened.
They were releasing water at a combined rate of 5,922 cubic feet per second, according to the Public Works website.
Rain L. Emerson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, said the plan was for releases to increase to 7,500 cubic feet per second.
She later told Noozhawk that, beginning at 4 p.m., the flows would be ramped down to about 3,700 cubic feet per second by 10 p.m., adding that further reductions would occur Saturday afternoon.
“This operational decision was based on current lake inflows and precipitation in the area, which have necessitated increased outflow to manage reservoir levels and minimize need for larger releases,” Emerson told Noozhawk.
The lake level has risen more than 15 feet since late Tuesday night, as a powerful “atmospheric river” storm drenched the county over several days.
The dam and reservoir are operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in consultation with the county Water Agency.
Lake Cachuma, which is a major water source for the county, has received 11.81 inches of rain in the past three days.
As of Friday afternoon, it held 189,194 acre-feet of water.
Gibraltar Reservoir and Jameson Reservoir, upstream on the Santa Ynez River, both began spilling earlier this week, which means virtually all runoff from the watershed is heading into Cachuma.
Remarkably, Old Man Mountain, which is at the upper east end of the Santa Ynez River watershed, has recorded 16.66 inches of rain in the past three days.
It’s unusual for Lake Cachuma to spill in December. Typically when it happens, it is in the later winter or early spring months. The last time a December spill occurred was in 1983.
Cachuma last spilled in February 2024.
Sunny Skies to Return This Weekend
There is a 70% chance of more rain on Friday, but most areas should see less than a tenth of an inch, forecasters said. Higher amounts are possible with any thunderstorms.
Sunny skies are expected Saturday through Tuesday, with daytime highs in the low to mid-60s, and overnight lows in the mid-40s.
Another chance of showers returns on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
A Flood Watch will be in effect until 6 p.m. Friday, and a High Surf Advisory will be in effect until 11 a.m. Saturday.
Click here for the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.
Click here for real-time rainfall totals from the county Public Works Department.
Check back with Noozhawk for updates to this story.
