Bureau Releases Feasibility Report on Raising Shasta Dam

Raising Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet appears to be feasible and financially justifiable, according to the findings of a draft feasibility report by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

The report, released along with a preliminary draft environmental impact statement as part of the Bureau’s Shasta Lake Water Resources Investigation, examined the potential impacts, costs and benefits of five alternatives for raising the dam. The report analyzed alternative dam raises ranging from 6.5 feet to 18.5 feet and corresponding increases in reservoir storage from 256,000 acre-feet to 634,000 acre-feet.

According to the report, raising the dam by 18.5 feet would increase the lake’s storage by about 14%. The additional storage capacity would be used to improve the reservoir’s ability to provide colder water for winter-run Chinook salmon during drought years. It would also increase water supply reliability for agricultural and municipal water users in the state.

The report identifies several unresolved issues associated with raising the dam, including impacts on the McCloud River and Native American and cultural resources.

Bureau officials have been studying a potential dam raise since 1999. The current feasibility study has been under way since 2005.

The report and related documents are available here.