Some water getting through gates at Sacramento Weir
WEST SACRAMENTO – Water can be seen coming over the gates at the Sacramento Weir on Wednesday as the leading edge of a significant storm hits Northern California.
The weir is one of several along the Sacramento River that act as a flood safety valve.
Notably, the Sacramento Weir is the only one that has locks that need to be released manually.
Standard procedure for the locks to be released is when the Sacramento River water level at I Street reaches 27.5' and is predicted to keep rising. The level is a little under 24' on Wednesday, but the California Nevada River Forecast Center forecasts show it could reach about 26.6' by Friday.
The last time any gates were opened at the Sacramento Weir was back in February 2017. That year, the gates were actually opened twice.
When the gates are opened, the water flows into the Yolo Bypass area. Forecasts show that the Fremont Weir, which also dumps water into the bypass when the level reaches 32', is also expected to be active by Friday – reaching a stage of 33.3'.