The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will release less water from Nimbus Dam to the lower American River due to the dry winter conditions.
Flows in the river will go from 1100 cubic feet per second down to 500 cubic feet per second by Friday. The Bureau says the reduction is needed to protect fish and drinking water behind Folsom Dam.
The water content of the Sierra snowpack is about 20 percent of average for this time of year. California estimates it will only be able to deliver 5 percent of the water requested by 29 public agencies this year.
Nimbus Dam / U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
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