Monday April 4, 2022
Merced Sun-Star —
With a major warming trend in the forecast and temperatures in Fresno reaching the 80s on Sunday, the Bureau of Reclamation is alerting the public to monitor flow conditions and to exercise caution when on the San Joaquin River due to increased releases from Friant Dam.
The bureau started releases into the river on Friday to help meet contractual obligations to deliver Central Valley Project water to the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors on the west side of the Valley.
Releases from Friant Dam were increased from about 680 cubic-feet-per-second to 930 cfs, and will increase throughout the spring with sustained releases over the summer of more than 1,700 cfs, depending on system conditions and downstream structural safety requirements.
Flows of this planned magnitude on the San Joaquin River have not occurred since 2019.