Extended South Yuba (CA) Flows Continue

Flows on the South Yuba River (CA) will continue to be closer to natural flows for a second year as Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) works to repair diversion and hydropower infrastructure connected to Lake Spaulding. Although PG&E typically makes deliveries to water users below Lake Spaulding through its powerhouses and low-level outlets, repair delays continue to prevent them from diverting water. While there are clear negative impacts to irrigators and other downstream water users, domestic water supply should not be impacted. 

Damaged infrastructure that is either in the process of being repaired or that had repairs fail includes the low-level outlet at Spaulding Dam, Spaulding 2 powerhouse wicket gates, Spaulding 1 powerhouse damage, and Spaulding intake tower damage. A portion of the South Yuba pipe was repaired in 2024. Ongoing repairs to Fordyce Lake mean that minimal water will be stored there as well. The overall timeline for PG&E’s various repairs to Lake Spaulding infrastructure remains uncertain but it appears that we will once again see flows in the South Yuba below Lake Spaulding that are nearly equivalent to an unimpaired or natural snowmelt hydrograph for 2025. Last year, with a similar snowpack, this meant boatable flows remained in the system into June! 

Sections that will likely run later than usual again include Yuba Gap, Golden Quartz, Washington to Edwards, Edwards to Purdons, Purdons to 49, and 49 to Bridgeport.