Whiskeytown Lake Drops About 10 Feet as Northern California Parks Prepare for Winter: Park Service Warns Boaters and Beachgoers of New Shoreline Hazards
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area sits in Shasta County, California, west of Redding. Visitors there this October may notice dropping water levels in Whiskeytown Lake and at the mouths of the park's creeks: the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in mid-October began lowering the lake's water level by roughly 10 feet, an annual practice to make space in the lake's basin for rainwater from winter storms, the Redding Record Searchlight reported on October 20.
The National Park Service says the drawdown also creates new hazards for visitors. Beaches and shoreline areas have more debris as the water level drops, and those areas are often rockier than in summer; boaters should watch for new shallow patches so they do not get grounded. Conditions can change quickly at the lake's edge, and visitors are directed to the park's official conditions page for updates on road conditions and winter closures.
The lake drawdown comes as parks and forests across Northern California prepare for the winter season, which generally runs from late October or early November until April or early May. At Whiskeytown, Shasta Bally Road closes to vehicles for the winter but may remain open to hikers. The U.S. Forest Service says winter closures are intended to reduce human-caused damage to natural resources and to keep winter recreation areas in good condition.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Whiskeytown Lake 资料图。照片：James Pickering 摄，经维基共享资源。 / File photo: Whiskeytown Lake, west of Redding in Shasta County, California. Photo by James Pickering, via Wikimedia Commons.
