Lake Mendocino’s water storage limit to increase

The Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to raise Lake Mendocino’s water storage limit in an attempt to avoid water shortages and dry conditions that last year turned the lake into a mud flat.

The change, implemented at the request of the Sonoma County Water Agency, potentially could increase the lake’s depth at the beginning of summer by almost 14 feet, said Mike Dillabough, the corps’ chief of operations and readiness for the San Francisco district.

But that will only happen if there is mild but steady rainfall over the next two months, he said.

“If we get anywhere close to that, I’ll be surprised,” Dillabough said.

The change affects the maximum amount of water allowed to be stored in the lake.

Normally, the summer lake level maximum is 748 feet, measured from sea level. The change increases the limit to 761.8 feet, Dillabough said.

But the level only can get that high if there are no big storms on the horizon, which could force the corps to release water from the dam when levels reach 737.5 feet to prevent potential flooding.