The snow reports are in and final. The Trinity Alps are 128% of normal and the Sierras are 130% of normal for this time of year. This indicates a very good water year for the Eastern Sierras as well as the Klamath – Trinity River Basin. 10 of the 12 State Reservoirs are over 100% of capacity and only 2 are 90% for this time of year. This is another good indicator for river water flows as well as water for farming. This should be a good year for recovery from the drought if the state can figure out how to save or hold back some of the extra water for the future. There still being a problem, the state is still short of water storage because the state population has doubled in the past 30 years. We are trying to serve 40 million people with the planning of 20 million population. We still need more water storage for the state but the environmentalists as well as other groups are still trying to stop any new types of water storage plus the governor wants to add 300,000 new homes in the state within the next couple of years. This all sounds well but where are we suppose to get all the extra water. Without water storage areas there is not going to be enough water for farming, fish/rivers and homes! Something has to give, whether it being less homes or the environmentalists. 

With all the good news about water reserves we should be able to get a better spawning from the fish this year. This will be seen as the return of adult salmon and steelhead two to three years down the road. Salmon returns were better than projected for this year and some groups felt that the CDFW should go in a conservative direction for salmon and steelhead harvesting with the idea to help increase escapement and spawning by decreasing the bag limits. I cannot argue with that idea because it is going to hopefully increase fishing abilities in the future. Some times we have to sacrifice a little now for better fishing in the future.       

Fishing: fishing is starting to pick up some but the rivers are still running high which makes it difficult for any type of good fishing. As the rivers decrease in flows fishing will pick up. The good thing is more Coho salmon and steelhead are being able to reach and get into the mouths of the cold-water spawning streams. Memorial Day Weekend this year, was not the best for opening day of fishing for salmon and summer steelhead but as I checked out the river in the Willow Creek area the Trinity was nice and green with water reseeding.

Mid-Klamath: Iron Gate Dam releases are 1,817cfs. Fishing above I-5 should be getting better in the Upper Klamath but flows are still somewhat high. The flows in the Siead Valley and Happy Camp area have dropped some with Happy Camp flowing at 5,179cfs. The Mid and Lower Klamath are still flowing high for fishing. The good thing is that the river is getting a good scouring. The Klamath in Orleans is high and brown, not the best for any kind of fishing. 

Lake Conditions:  Whiskeytown is 99% of capacity (an increase of 0%) with inflows 3,651cfs and releasing 3,251cfs on to Keswick and the Sacramento River. Shasta is 98% of capacity (an increase of 0% plus 1ft) with inflows of 9,117cfs and releasing 9,511cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 85% (a decrease of 0%) with inflows of 13,089cfs and releasing 13,003cfs into the Sacramento river. Oroville Lake is 98% of capacity (an increase of 1% plus 3ft) with inflows of 11,903cfs with releases of 13,207cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 96% of capacity (an increase of 1% plus 2ft) with inflows of 19,521cfs with releases of 7,921cfs into the American river.

Trinity Lake: the lake is 4ft below the overflow (a decrease of 1ft) and 98% of capacity (an increase of 1% and having a possible chance of going over the overflow tube down by the Dam) inflows are 57,27cfs and releases are 5,276cfs into Lewiston Lake with  451cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown Lake and on to Keswick Power Plant, which is releasing13,207cfs into the Sacramento River.

Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam releases are 2,186cfs and water temperatures of 48.2 degrees and air at N/A as of 10:15am today Sunday June 2, 2019. Limekiln Gulch is 6.87ft at 2,326cfs and water temps of 48.2. Douglas City is 8.83ft and flows of 2,728cfs. with air temps of 65 and water at 48.3 degrees. Junction City is 4.92ft at 2,620cfs. Helena is 13.4ft at 3,134cfs with water temps of 50.8 degrees. Cedar Flat (Burnt Ranch) is 8.11ft at 4,216cfs. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 4.15ft at 868cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 5,084cfs and air is 70 degrees and water at 55 degrees. Hoopa is 16.13ft at 6,020cfs and water is 58 degrees. Water flows at the mouth of the Trinity River at the Klamath are estimated to be 14,705cfs.

Klamath: Iron Gate is releasing 1,817cfs. Seiad Valley is 5.62ft at 4,877cfs. Happy Camp is estimated at 5,179cfs, the Salmon River is 4.9ft at 3,084cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 5,601cfs. Orleans is 7.26ft at 8,685cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 13.06ft at 10,443cfs and water temps of 61.6 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jedia Smith is 6.56ft and flows of 1,335cfs. and flows at Dr. Fine Bridge are 13.14ft at N/A cfs.

Temperatures in the Valley last week were 98 hi with a low of 48. Rain for the week was 0.00in with total rain for the water year to date of 67.6 inches, with snow of 4.5in. in the valley to date. Forecast for temperatures next week are 97/46 with mostly sunshine and clouds the first part of the week and then sunshine through the coming weekend. Hopefully some fishing.