Trinity Reservoir Update – March 13th 2023
Trinity Reservoir is currently at 33% of capacity (47% of historical average to date). Trinity has benefitted the least out of Central Valley Project reservoirs with the series of atmospheric river bringing added water supply; however, the reservoir is largest dependent on snowmelt (versus Shasta, which heavily relies on rain).
Regarding operations, required releases are made each day from Trinity Reservoir and released through the Trinity powerplant into the Trinity River. Doing so produces hydropower and these releases are not visible to the public. However, rehabilitation of the reservoir’s penstock intake system began on March 6 as part of ongoing maintenance. As a result of the construction activities, water releases are currently bypassing the powerplant and are directly released from the dam’s auxiliary valve, which is visible to the public. Releases from the auxiliary valve will continue through March 31. No additional water is being released as part of this bypass.
By Mary Lee Knecht
Bureau of Reclamation Public Affairs Officer
Poor planning, No One Notified, was at 22% or maybe lower all summer?
On February 7th, 2023 I was sent a photo of what looks like the top of the intake for the hydroelectric facility. This photo was taken at the Minersville boat ramp at the south end of Trinity Lake,Photo By Heide Gray
Below: Aerial photo was taken by SNN with the intake out of the water in October of 2022.
Trinity Lake
Oct 21, 2022
Unable to get over to Trinity lake myself I am having to fill in the gaps from FB.
Trinity Lake Boaters FB Page
Amber Elizabeth
March 9th, 2023
I am hearing repairs may be finished and that this may have been a test… trying to get further confirmation on that. Hopefully it’s done as of now either way, and that we are capturing most of what this new system brings us! It’s sloppy wet out there right now. Bummer for the last 2 months down the drain…. But the snow pack is 13 feet at Shimmy lake, this system is supposed to be epic, so we still have a chance to get at least a few more boat ramps in! 
Johnnie Swim March 9th, 2023
Just saw the release chart for the trinity river, apparently there going to keep releasing water from now until spring when their supposed to start the release and then start cutting back earlier in the summer. So what’s that going to do for the river rafting companies down river, that’s going to shorten there season to nothing !!! They depend on the spring run for rafting !!! You can’t go rafting in the winter !!!! It just amazes me how screwed up the water management is up here !!! There killing local businesses and our tourism
Amber Elizabeth March 9th, 2023
They have definitely not been forthcoming with information… this is the first time I’ve seen the crane barge afloat…. And the tower was underwater last week which led me to believe repairs were done, but I found out they had not been done yet. So fast forward to now…. They are dumping obscene amounts of water, the crane is afloat and the tower will be exposed again for the “repairs” to be completed…. They are definitely behind and I cannot imagine their work being easy with this huge storm system moving in. If they can’t get the repairs done today, we are going to lose way more water. If it wasn’t for these repairs I think we would be closer to 80’ below crest. Just my opinion tho. We could have been full this year easy… Sucks for those of us that rely on the tourism the lake brings in to survive here. 
As soon as they get the pass open I will be headed to Trinity to look into this myself, I have written a few emails and also reaching out for interviews. I feel it is such a waste that they are having to release water when the lake has been so low for the last few years. Sometimes mother nature has other plans.
If anyone on the Lake has more information I can be reached at [email protected]
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