Shasta Lake is calling…
Saturday morning, I awoke with the words from that plaque echoing in my mind. After we ate and dressed, we set off to the Lake—it was not a big trek—we are only 12 miles to the Dam.
Driving down to the Dam - our first sight of it -
Yep, there's water in there!
Shasta Dam is the largest dam in California. It is located at the far north end of the Sacramento Valley. Shasta Dam created Shasta Lake for long-term water storage, flood control, and hydroelectricity. The largest reservoir in the state, Shasta Lake, can hold about 4,500,000 acre-feet (5,600 GL).
Recent winter storms have significantly increased Shasta Lake's water levels to 130% of its historical average, with the rainy season continuing until April. In contrast, Southern California has not experienced the same level of precipitation, highlighting a stark difference between the North and South regions of the state.
On the trail down to catch the first view of my favorite volcano, with a peek at the hidden backside of the dam!
So pretty, all dressed in white!
A prevalent misconception about California's water supply is that it relies exclusively on snowmelt. In reality, Shasta Lake is primarily fed by rainwater. Historically, the region where the dam is located functioned as a flood zone, with certain towns facing seasonal flooding each winter. This background highlights why constructing a dam in this area was an effective solution for water management.
💡 I'd say that was a good idea
I can catch a clearer glimpse of the back side of the dam now.
It looks like a great blue heron
It seemed like a nice spring day.
As I walked back up, it occurred to me that this May, it will be 17 years since we left the San Francisco Peninsula - traffic, people on top of people, crazy politics, and moved here - to Shasta County. It was total culture shock for us as if we had moved to a different state. I had never moved out of my 30 mile radius of San Francisco. We’ve been pleasantly surprised and continue to pinch ourselves how blessed we are to be here. (Except for the forest fires) and no longer in the Bay Area.
I hope you’re all well and loving life.
It’s the only one we have!
Debby
I like the last line, It's the only life we have... the dam is beautiful and I love the idea of no city life but God's beauty around us..
ReplyDeleteWe have various smart towns that have a city life but nothing compared to metropolitan cities.
DeleteBeautiful photos. Your weather is much better than ours.
ReplyDeleteWe’ve been enjoying 60 degrees - it gets cold at night. How this works, you all will see spring and we then our weather changes around Feb/March.
DeleteDebby...thank you for sharing all of these beautiful scenes this morning. This is such a pretty area and I know you all enjoyed just getting to be in such a peaceful place. What a great Saturday morning trip! I'm guessing that this lake is deep? It is nice to see the blue water. Our lakes around here are not so blue. We have a lot of muddy looking lakes. Hope you took a picnic and fully enjoyed the day. Big city life fits a lot of people, but I prefer places like the serenity of this lake.
ReplyDeleteNo picnic this time. Just a a couple of hours - we live so close it’s not like we can’t go back anytime soon. One favorite time for me is when it’s a hot summer evening - taking a walk on the dam bridge and listen to the call of the loons. Enchanting
DeleteI forgot to answer - yes it’s very deep.
DeleteWhat an exquisite area! I'd no idea this existed, so I really value you blessing us with these images.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised - up here in the far- Northern California area, even some Californians ( usually transplants) don’t know we exist and we like it that way.
DeleteYou are blessed, indeed, Debby, to live where you do. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteMuch better place to raise a family and retire. Wish I moved years when my folks were alive and my sons were young - but my heart truly was in San Francisco.
DeleteI recall that my maternal grandmother's favorite song was "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." She would be so heartbroken if she were here today.
DeleteIt's so good to see water in the Lake. Often when we have gone by it the water is so low and everything is so brown and dry. Love the shot of Mt. Shasta in the background.
ReplyDeleteYou make me want to hike that trail. Mountain air and peace and quiet..my kind of day.
We don't miss the Bay Area either. Though I do enjoy visiting San Francisco and the surroundings but I sure don't miss the fog and heavy traffic.
Sue
It’s been full for the last three years! Same with other watersheds in the area - Trinity Lake, and Whiskeytown. I remember those drought years as well. While it “looked dry” we could have sustained a couple more years of drought. It’s big and deep.
DeleteOh my gosh, your photos are GORGEOUS!!! What a stunning and peaceful place this is. And yes, I think this is a Great Blue.
ReplyDeleteHe was big!
DeleteShasta lake is beautiful! I'm glad to hear it fuller now. I remember years where you posted pictures and it was much lower.
ReplyDeleteThis is our third straight winter with a full lake. Those years were pitiful.
DeleteWhat a beautiful area!
ReplyDeleteIt is nice.
DeleteI bet you're glad to see all that water.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very pretty area.
And to think we’re early in the rainy season. It’s looking very good!
DeleteI like these photos, it looks like a wonderful place
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo-Anne, it is!
DeleteHi Debby, I enjoyed your pictures. I have only been up your way once when hubby and I drove up to Crater Lake. Northen California is so beautiful! I have been up to Lake Tahoe 3 times in the last 5 years. The drive up the 395 is so nice with all the majestic mountains. I also enjoyed the drive through central California and looking at all the almond trees and of course the home of our salad's packs! I was last in San Francisco and the bay area in 2018 and enjoyed my visit. I would love to live up north! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteWhen we go to Yosemite or Reno we connect at 395 - come in that way. Less traffic. I always have liked the roads least traveled.
DeleteHere in Michigan we have what we call the Soo Locks. Each month they let out a certain amount of water to flow down from Lake Superior to the other Great Lakes. Is this something that could be done to help those in the Southern part of your state to have more water? With the massive wildfires from the 1800's that killed many here, we also have controlled burns to help in fire prevention. Do they not do this in California? Any hoot, your pics of Shasta are God's beauty for sure. Janice
ReplyDeleteI don’t know what they do in Southern California but up here, we do have control burns in our forest. Obviously it’s not enough. At least once a week. I smell it, people panic and then we know it’s a controlled burn. In town, they use goats - herds of goats and they do an awesome job of clearing underbrush.
DeleteI will say, our national park in Lassen needs to be cleaned up. They just leave all the dead trees and it’s kindling. My husband says the state restricts the Feds with environmental laws that prevents the clean up so I don’t know - clearly there is and has been wonky laws and regulations that we’ve had that does not benefit the people. We’re just in the way - if these environments had their way, they would have us all in big cities.
You know I always love when you show pictures of The Shasta area. I especially love the shot of Mt. Shasta all covered in snow. Jim and I always took a weekend up in Redding each summer before the pandemic. We would drive up to the dam one of the evenings just so we could watch the deer come to the park. We did get a chance to visit the center once when we got down there in the afternoon. I have not been on the dam tour since I was a teen though. We were camping at the lake and parked the boats along side the dam and walked up the rocks and over the wall to get there. We were all much younger in those days!
ReplyDeleteIt was so good to see the lake pictures. You took some awesome ones Debby! I have been wanting to visit the creek. Nature is calling me. ; ) The weather was just right for your visit to the lake. Shasta area is a far cry from San Francisco area I bet. Like all big cities, they have their good points too I imagine.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Lovely trip out. You live in a beautiful area.
ReplyDelete