Water levels at a lake in Butte County have fallen to near-record levels, forcing state officials to consider shutting down a hydroelectric dam currently irrigating county crops.
Lake Oroville is only eight inches above its all-time low. If water levels drop, the Edward Hyatt Power Plant will be shut down for the first time since 1967.
Western Canal Water District General Manager Ted Trimble emphasized the power plant’s importance to KCBS Radio, explaining that the water is used to irrigate 60,000 acres of rice.
"Our demand is starting to lessen with the rice crops maturing, so we’re slowly ending the irrigation season, but our biggest concern is to make sure we do get through it," he said.
PG&E companies in the area also use hydroelectric power, but down employ the power plants during the spring.
"This allows us to optimize the use of available water for power generation to help the state during its hottest days of the summer when demand is very high," a PG&E representative explained.
The rationing of hydroelectric dams may be a current bandaid on California’s drought crisis, but Trimble is worried for what’s to come.
"It’s definitely concerning moving forward," he said. "Particularly guarding against next year, what if it’s a dry winter? We will have to reset all our thinking on how we go about what to do."
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