… Folsom Lake is slated to hold 266,000 acre-feet of water at the end of the year. … Typically, Reclamation aims for a 300,000 acre-foot threshold by the end of December — a number the Water Forum deems sufficient to survive a subsequent dry year with minimal implications. Missing the target could disrupt a delicate balancing act, weighing the needs of local water suppliers and environmental advocates against the entire Central Valley Project, which uses reservoirs, dams and canals to feed agricultural needs alongside some urban customers. … Missing the mark by 34,000 acre-feet at Folsom Lake isn’t an immediate cause for alarm, according to RWA [Regional Water Authority] Executive Director James Peifer. But if winter deliveries fall short and a drought takes hold, missing the December target could mark the beginning of a troublesome era.

Other dam and reservoir news:

• Active NorCal (Redding, Calif.): Environmental groups accuse Gavin Newsom of strong-arming the judge in the Sites Reservoir fight
• The Orange County Register (Irvine, Calif.): Opinion: Conservation isn’t enough for California’s weather whiplash, we need reliable water
• State Water Contractors: News release: Court rejects bid to restrict Shasta Dam operations