BASS LAKE — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is cautioning that flows from the Crane Valley Dam spillway will continue and likely increase as unusual amounts of rain fall in the area.
The dam is functioning as designed, says PG&E, who notes they are carefully monitoring Crane Valley to ensure safe operation of the hydro facility.
“Due to the increased flows, we have activated the emergency action plan for the area,” says PG&E spokesman Danny Boyles. “That plan involves coordination with all area emergency services, and we practiced that plan during a full exercise in October 2016.
“As these rains continue, flows into Bass Lake and over the Crane Valley Dam spillway could increase and will remain well above the normal seasonal flows for this time of year for several days after the rainfall stops.”
PG&E recommends those going near rivers and streams to be aware of the higher flows and take precautions. At PG&E the safety of the public and our employees is our top priority.
It’s not unusual for PG&E ‘s reservoirs to fill in normal winters as they tend to be smaller and at much higher elevations than the state and federal multi-year water storage reservoirs like Millerton Lake, Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville.
PG&E’s reservoirs are designed to capture rain and snow melt runoff in winter, spring and early summer to generate clean, renewable hydroelectric power.
