Water Levels, Depths and Rainfall
|
[Home/History] [The Dam] [Fishing] [Birding] [Wildlife] [Eutrophication] [Photo Gallery] [Lake Map] For Lake Los Carneros to remain relatively healthy (little or no eutrophication) it seems to need about 16 inches of rain for two years in a row. For the Goleta Fire Station rainfall monitor 18.39 inches per year is the current (2024) average.
According to the monitor from rain year 1942 through 1955 this was not the case. But in 1956 the trend started to change. Except for a few years in the late 50s/early 60s and early 70s the rainfall totals were close to average for at least two years in a row. In fact, for a 10 year period from 1973 through 1983 there was never more than a year in a row of below average rain. This coincides with the stories I hear of the lake being "healthy" and full most of the time during the 70s.
The 80's we entered another period where we did not get two years in a row of enough rain and the lake suffered. In addition, after a historical rainfall year of nearly 50 inches in 1982-1983, the water level was lowered artificially.
This "dry" pattern ended in 1991 with what is known as the "March Miracle" rains and in 1993 the lake spilled for the first time since 1983. This "wet" period continued through 2011. During this period there were only five years of less than 17 inches of rain and there was never more than one year in a row of below average rain. The lake never dropped below ~9 ft below spill level and was relatively healthy similar to the 70s. Unfortunately this healthy streak ended in 2012.
When I first visited Lake Los Carneros in the Fall 1983 the water level of the lake was ~12 ft. below spill level. A nearly 50 inch rain rain year in 1982-1983 lead me to find out that these low levels were the result of the lake being artificially lowered.
This period of low rain caused the water level of the lake to drop to over 15 ft. below spill level in early 1991. The "March Miracle" rain of 1991 produced over 12" of rain in one month brought the lake back up a couple of feet from spilling. Although close to spilling in 1992 the lake did not actually spill (for the first time since 1983) until 1993. The "March Miracle" rain of 1991 was the beginning of another period of 17 inches of rain for two (or more) years in a row which lasted until 2011. During this period the lake spilled numerous times and flourished from the repeated "water changes" nature was providing. Low Water Level Markers:
Unfortunately 2012 was the start of another period low rainfall. Causing the water level of the lake to pass 10 ft. below spill level for the first time in over 20 years. In October of 2014 the water level dropped to over 11 ft. below spill level and exposed the drain of the dam for the first time since the "March Miracle" rains in 1991.
A little over 7 inches of rain in November and December of 2014 provided an additional 3 ft. of fresh water pushing it back up to just a little over 8 ft. below spill level. This combined with another 4.5 inches of rain in 2015 was not enough to keep the water from dropping to a historic ~13 ft. below spill level by the Fall of 2015.
The water level dropped to over 14 ft. below spill level by December of 2016. Above average rain in February and March of 2017 added nearly 13 feet of water into the lake. Bringing the water level to within a little over a foot from spilling but unfortunately 2018 was another year of below average rainfall. Above average rain in 2019 helped but was was followed by another three years of below average rain. On March 22, 2023 Lake Los Carneros spilled for the first time since 2011. Another 20+ inches of rain in 2024 caused it to spill again in 2024. 2024, 2001 and 1996 are the only times since 1982 that the lake has spilled for two years in a row. And although there were several times it was close, since 1982 the lake has never spilled for three or more years in a row. However, rainfall indicates that the lake may have spilled for a third year in a row in 1975 and 1980. Tap here to download the historical rainfall totals for the Goleta Fire Station rainfall monitor.
Lake Depths 1999 Depth:
~20 ft. (measured using an electronic depth
finder) Rainfall & Water Levels
Green = Less
than 2 feet below spill level
*Known occurrences of lake being artificially lowered. 2023 was slightly (maybe a foot?). 1982 was all the way to the drain (12 ft. down) just after a historic nearly 50 inch rain year where the lake would have been spilling and then some. Contact: pete@lakeloscarneros.com [Home/History] [The Dam] [Fishing] [Birding] [Wildlife] [Eutrophication] [Photo Gallery] [Lake Map] |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
