Reclamation announces 2023 spring restoration releases on the Trinity River

Photo Credit: Ron Lim, Trinity Lake Boater FB
Press Release Bureau of Reclamation

News Release

WEAVERVILLE, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation announced today that this year’s restoration flow schedule for the Trinity River will begin on April 16. Each year, the Trinity Management Council advances a flow schedule based on the expected amount of water available to support salmon restoration efforts on the Trinity River.

The California Department of Water Resources determined on Monday the Trinity watershed falls into the “wet” category with 1.6 -million-acre feet of projected inflow to the reservoir from the watershed. A “wet” determination is one of five water year types used by the Trinity River Restoration Program to determine how much reservoir water will be released in support of the program’s goals to improve habitat for anadromous fish—fish that migrate to fresh water from salt water to spawn—like salmon and steelhead.

The planned release schedule attempts to maximize benefits to the physical and biological character of the Trinity River.

Visitors near or on the river can expect river levels to increase during the flow releases and should take appropriate safety precautions. Landowners are advised to clear personal items from the floodplain prior to the releases.

Key components of the flow release schedule are:

• April 15-16: Increase daily average flows from 3,550 cubic feet per second to 6,750 cfs
• April 17-18: Flows increase to 10,258 cfs then to 10,875 cfs
• April 19-22: Flows decrease to 9,250 cfs then to 6,625 cfs, and then increase to 10,792 cfs
• May 8-June 3: Flows will be maintained between 1,000 to 2,000 cfs
• June 21: Flows will return to 450 cfs summer baseflow, which continues until September 30

Reclamation continues to work cooperatively with multiple federal, state, local agencies, and partners in conserving water, advancing water storage projects, and maximizing regulatory flexibilities to respond quickly to fluctuating conditions.

An up-to-date daily schedule of flow releases is available at the program’s website https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/. The public may subscribe to automated notifications of Trinity River release changes (via phone or email) at https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/flow-release-notifications/.

The Trinity Management Council is the governing body of the Trinity River Restoration Program. The council’s membership includes Hoopa Valley Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Trinity County, state of California, USDA-Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

For additional information, visit https://www.trrp.net/, contact the office at 530-623-1800 (TTY 800-877-8339), or email in…@trrp.net.

About Reclamation: The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation’s largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits.