Folsom Lake at highest level in 5 years

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show the lake level at 459 feet. Despite a disappointing snowpack in the Sierra, recent rains have swelled Folsom Lake to its highest level in at least five years. Already rising from snowmelt, Folsom Lake reached roughly 460 feet above sea level Thursday, or 134 percent of normal for this time of year, according to Lakesonline. The water is so high, Granite Bay is using the highest Stage 4 boat ramp with the rest submerged this week. Two spillways were opened at Nimbus Dam downstream Wednesday. Already rising from early snowmelt and recent snow upcountry, Folsom Lake got another boost with roughly a quarter-inch of rain falling in the Mother Lode this week. After a very dry March, Palisades Tahoe ski resort in Placer County reported more than six feet of snow in April. Lakesonline measured a 459.98-foot lake surface elevation Thursday. Last year on April 23, the lake was listed at 459.86 feet above sea level. Folsom Lake's normal capacity is 977,000 acre-feet, which tops out at 466 elevation, authorities said. The current volume of 910,000 acre-feet is significantly higher than the April normal of around 700,000 acre-feet, state officials point out. Meanwhile, despite the premature snowmelt, the Mother Lode region and broader Central Sierra Nevada are experiencing near-normal to slightly above-normal precipitation for the water year, according to California Water Watch. Many parts of the Central Sierra Foothills and Northern California have seen totals climb to around 100 percent of historical average, Water Watch announced. April storms brought significant rainfall to the Gold Country with some areas receiving four inches of rain. The Auburn Municipal Airport reported 2.41 inches of rain with the recent storms, bringing the season total to 38.07 inches, nearly six inches more than the normal of 32.19 for April 24.