8/19/2019
10 Day Northern California Precipitation Forecast: No precipitation expected over the next ten days.
From CDEC: Precipitation to date for water year 2018-2019 - As of 8/19/2019:
Northern Sierra Precipitation Index: 68.7" - 135% of average for this date
San Joaquin Precipitation Index: 49.8" - 126% of average for this date
Tulare Basin Precipitation Index: 36.7" - 130% of average for this date
From CDEC: Average statewide snow water equivalents as of 7/17/2019:
North: 0.3" - 0% of normal for this date
Central: 0.0" - 0% of normal for this date
South: 0.0" - 0% of normal for this date
Statewide: 0.1" - 0% of normal for this date
River Flows (Current and estimated future flow rates from NOAA's California Nevada River Forecast Center)
Sacramento River (Freeport)
The daily average reported 20,266 cfs on 8/18 and is forecast to increase slightly to 20,493 cfs on 8/20 then possibly increase further to 21,408 cfs by 8/24.
Feather River (at Boyd's Landing)
The Feather is currently reporting 8,121 cfs and is forecast to remain the same through 8/24.
San Joaquin River (near Vernalis)
The San Joaquin is reporting 4,065 cfs and is forecast to decrease to 3,900 cfs on 8/20 then remain the same through 8/24.
Delta Cross Channel Gate Operation
Posted: 6/19/2019
Delta Cross Channel Gates will OPEN on Friday
June 21, 2019 at approximately 0900 hrs.
The gates will remain open until further notice.
Comment: Summer operations.
PLEASE NOTE: GATES MAY NEED TO BE CLOSED WITH
SHORT NOTICE IF A FISHERY CONCERN IS IDENTIFIED.
EC and Bromide - Banks Pumping Plant, Jones Pumping Plant, Clifton Court Forebay (EC), San Joaquin River at Vernalis, Gianelli Pumping Plant, Hood (EC)
There were no major changes at any of the stations. Vernalis continues to experience, in this case minor changes, due fluctuating flow in the San Joaquin River. Gianelli remained in generation pumping mode over the time period so EC and bromide levels did not change.
Banks Daily Average: EC - 142 uS/cm, Br - 0.10 mg/L, 10 Days ago: 195 uS/cm and 0.08 mg/L
Jones Daily Average: EC - 230 uS/cm, Br - 0.10 mg/L, 10 days ago: 240 uS/cm, 0.11 mg/L
Clifton Court Forebay: EC - 202 uS/cm, 10 days ago: 208 uS/cm
Vernalis: EC - 282 uS/cm, Br - 0.05 mg/L, 14 days ago: 211 uS/cm and 0.08 mg/L
Gianelli: EC - 498 uS/cm, Br - 0.25 mg/L, 10 days ago: 493 uS/cm and 0.25 mg/L
Hood: EC - 131 uS/cm, 10 days ago: 126 uS/cm
Organic Carbon, TOC and DOC - Banks Pumping Plant, Jones Pumping Plant, San Joaquin River at Vernalis, Gianelli Pumping Plant, Hood
Values remained about the same at all of the stations over the time period.
Banks: TOC = 2.9 mg/L, DOC - 2.7 mg/L. 10 days ago: 2.6, 2.5
Jones: TOC = 2.6 mg/L, DOC - 2.4 mg/L. 10 days ago: 2.8, 2.5
Vernalis: TOC = 2.3 mg/L, DOC = 2.1 mg/L. 10 days ago: 2.4, 2.2
Gianelli: TOC = 3.2 mg/L, DOC = 3.1 mg/L. 10 days ago: 3.1, 2.9
Hood: TOC = 1.9 mg/L, DOC = 1.8 mg/L. 10 days ago 2.0, 1.8
Pumping: 8/09 - 8/18
Banks PP... varied between 481 cfs and 5,980 cfs; the 8/18 average was 5,925 cfs.
Jones PP... varied between 2,708 cfs and 4,366 cfs over the time period. The 8/18 average reported 4,310 cfs.
Gianelli Pumping Plant: Daily average discharge generation (Sal Luis Reservoir into O'Neill Forebay) varied between 603 cfs and 8,899 cfs over the time period. The 8/18 average was 603 cfs. Daily average discharge pumping (O'Neill Forebay into San Luis Reservoir) reported zero cfs over the time period.
O'Neill Pumping Plant: Daily average discharge generation (O'Neill Forebay to the DMC) varied between zero cfs and 317 cfs over the time period. The 8/18 average was zero cfs. Discharge pumping (DMC to O'Neill Forebay) varied between zero cfs and 1,082 cfs. The 8/18 average reported 1,082 cfs.
Dos Amigos Pumping Plant: Varied between 7,275 cfs and 9,227 cfs. The 8/18 daily average was 7,555 cfs.
South Bay Pumping Plant: Ranged between 58 cfs and 210 cfs. The 8/18 average was 205 cfs.
Barker Slough Pumping Plant: Varied between 80 cfs and 125 cfs. The 8/18 average was 120 cfs.
Status of the Temporary Barriers as of August 16, 2019:
Middle River Barrier
Mobilization to install the Middle River barrier started on June 27, 2019. The in-water work started on June 28, 2019 at 8:40AM. The barrier was closed on July 3, 2019 at 12:15PM. The flap gates were set to tidal operation on July 3, 2019 at 4:30PM. The raising of the Middle River crest by additional foot was completed on July 31, 2019 at 11:30AM.
Old River near Tracy Barrier
Mobilization to install the Old River near Tracy barrier started on July 1, 2019. The in-water work started on July 2, 2019 at 9:15AM. The barrier was closed on July 19, 2019 at 2:45PM. The flap gates were set to tidal operation on July 19, 2019 at 3:00PM. The boat tender is on duty.
Grant Line Canal Barrier
Mobilization to install the Grant Line Canal barrier started on July 10, 2019. The in-water work started on July 11, 2019 at 7:30AM. The boat docks were completed on July 25, 2019 at 3:00PM. The barrier was fully closed on July 26, 2019 at 3:00PM. The flaps gates released to tidal operation on July 26, 2019 at 3:15PM. The boat ramp was completed on July 29, 2019 at 4:00PM. The boat tender is on duty.
Head of Old River Barrier
The National Marine Fisheries Service has granted permission to cancel the Spring Head of Old River barrier for 2019 due to high water in the system, and as for the Fall Head of Old River barrier, hopefully we will know shortly if the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will request the installation for this year.
Environmental Compliance
As required by the environmental permits, pre-construction surveys were conducted in advance of construction. Environmental monitors were present during all phases of construction including the in-water work. Environmental education was provided to the crew members. Required discreet turbidity and dissolved oxygen monitoring data was collected during the in-water work phase of the construction. No environmental issues have been observed thus far.
Water Level Modeling
Modeling was conducted for the simulation period from August 14, 2019 through September 2, 2019. Forecasted water levels at Middle River at Howard Road, Old Rive at Tracy Blvd, and at Doughty Cut were way above the threshold. DWR will continue to monitor and report water levels and conditions.
Real-time south Delta water level data is available on CDEC at the URL below:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/river/southdeltaStages.html
Water Level Complaints
In 2019, the first water level complaint of the season was received from South Delta Water Agency on June 26, 2019 indicating problems at low tide for a Middle River diverter just downstream of the Wood Irrigation Company. Although construction of the Middle River barrier initially alleviated the water level concern on Middle River, water level complaints for Middle River were received on July 10 and July 11. A water level complaint at Tom Paine Slough was also received from Pescadero Irrigation district on July 10, 2019. A second water level complaint at Tom Paine Slough received from Pescadero Irrigation district on July 15, 2019 on critical low level and is impacting water deliveries. On 7/26/19 another water level complaint at Tom Paine Slough received from Pescadero Irrigation district on completely out of water and is impacting deliveries severely. No new water level complaint email this week.
We have established the email address, SDWAComplaint@water.ca.gov, to receive and distribute water level complaints to appropriate DWR staff. Please use this email address specifically for South Delta water level complaints. In order to help determine the response and appropriate follow up please provide the following information in your water level complaint email:
All complaints need to provide the information requested in the first 3 bullets.
Please note that the information provided in the complaint email will be used to evaluate the situation and act as appropriate. For the Temporary Barriers Project, this information is critical as water level complaints are used as justification to request approval from fish agencies to fully close GLC, release the flap gates to tidal operation, and to raise the Middle River barrier by one foot.
To subscribe/unsubscribe to the DWR TBP Update list, go to:
https://listservice.cnra.ca.gov/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=DWR_TBPUPDATE&A=1
Stations:
Banks Pumping Plant - Operational
Jones Pumping Plant - Operational
Vernalis (San Joaquin River) - Operational
Hood (Sacramento River) - Operational
Gianelli Pumping Plant - Operational