Monday, February 19, 2024  - Another Increase in Water Releases from Bradury Dam

Reclamation increases release to ~9,000 cfs at the Bradbury Dam Spillway Gates

United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the County of Santa Barbara continue to monitor the storm's progression.  A couple hours after the last increase in release from Bradbury Dam, the bulk of the storm began passing over the Lake Cachuma watershed.  Inflows began to sharply rise much sooner than previously forecast.  They accordingly responded by increasing the Bradbury Dam release to 8,000 cfs at 8:00am and will go to 9,000 cfs at 12:00pm [noon] on February 19th. 

Inflows are now currently projected to top out at an hourly peak of about 21,000 cfs later this afternoon, followed by a relatively sharp dropoff.   Lake storage is currently at about 188,000 acre-feet giving a buffer of about 6,000 acre-feet to assist in operational & release management.

They will continue to monitor forecast as the storm progresses and make further operational adjustments as appropriate.

Sunday, February 18, 2024  - Increased Water Releases from Bradbury Dam

Reclamation increased release from ~1700 cfs to ~4200 cfs at the Bradbury Dam Spillway Gates

SYRWCD has been advised that the United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the County of Santa Barbara continue to monitor the storm's progression and regional forecast which have the bulk of rainfall is expected to occur the later part of Monday, February 19th through Tuesday, February 20th with dimishing showers through Thursday.

"Projecting the peak rainfall and runoff magnitude seems to have the most variance in the forecasts that we've tracked between earlier this morning and a couple hours ago with the expected range falling somewhere between 9000 cfs - 16,000 cfs.  Although the Lake was still slightly dropping as of 9:00pm, We made the decision to steadily increase releases beginning at 10:00pm this evening from the ~1700 cfs that had been flowing since February 14th, to ~4200 cfs by 2:00am on February 19th."

They will continue to monitor forecast as the storm progresses and make further operational adjustments as appropriate.

February 14, 2024  - Precautionary Water Releases from Bradbury Dam

Reclamation is releasing water at the Bradbury Dam Spillway Gates ahead of forecasted storm

United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) advised SYRWCD that based on another forecasted storm headed to the Santa Barbara Region this weekend, Lake Cachuma is full, and the relatively wet conditions of the basin (from the storm that visited the region about 10 days ago), on February 14, 2024, in coordination with Santa Barbara County,  Reclamation began precautionary releases at Bradbury Dam increasing the total release from about 870 cfs to about 1700 cfs to begin making room for the storm water in Lake Cachuma.

They will continue to monitor forecast as the storm progresses and make further operational adjustments as appropriate.

 Follow the Santa Ynez River water levels with USGS Stream Sensors. Here are the links:

• Santa Ynez River at Solvang (Alisal Bridge)
• Santa Ynez River at Lompoc Narrows

Real-time Rainfall, River-Stream, and Reservoir Data  -  SEE THIS LINK.

 Resources and Information: 

• For small animal shelter information, call Santa Barbara County Animal Services at 805-681-4332.
• For large animal evacuation assistance, please call 805-892-4484.
• For additional information, contact the Santa Barbara County Call Center at 833-688-5551.
• For status of school operations please contact your school site administrators.
• Storm readiness tips: http://www.readysbc.org/StormReadiness
• For status of highways: https://roads.dot.ca.gov/roadscell.php
• For status of County roadways: https://www.countyofsb.org/2116/Road-Closures
• For County sandbag filling locations: https://www.countyofsb.org/2219/Sandbags
• Sign up for ReadySBC Emergency Alerts:  https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736723794#/signup

Register to Receive ReadySBC Alerts

If you haven't registered for emergency alerts, please do so at ReadySBC.org.

For updated and detailed information, please visit ReadySBC.org or call Santa Barbara County's Emergency Call Center at (833) 688-5551 or 211.