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Don't Expect To See Folsom Lake Auxiliary Spillway In Action This Year

FOLSOM (CBS13) — Folsom Lake is higher this November than it's been for years. With all that water in storage, we wondered what role will the new auxiliary spillway play in Folsom Lake's ups and downs?

Folsom Lake is at about 115 percent of normal right now.

The wealth of water comes a month after the completion of the billion-dollar auxiliary spillway.

A spokesperson for the US Bureau of Reclamation says the spillway won't be used, and won't have an impact on Folsom Lake water releases until a new control manual is approved, possibly early next year.

Right now the lake is at 57 percent capacity, far lower than this summer when it was 94 percent full on June 17 but higher than one year ago on this date, when it sat at 40 percent full.

Two years ago in November, the lake level dropped to a historic low of 14 percent capacity, mired in years of drought.

The last time Folsom Lake was as high as it is now, on this date, was 2010.

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