CW3E Field Team Installs Telemetered Streamgages

December 30, 2024

Throughout 2023-2024, the CW3E Field Team installed telemetry at eight existing streamgages and two new streamgages in the Russian River and Yuba River watersheds.

In the Russian River watershed, the six upgraded sites are White Creek (WIC), Perry Creek (PEC), Mill Creek (MCR), Cold Creek (CDC), Boyes Creek (BYS), and Mewhinney Creek (MEW) near Lake Mendocino. The two newly installed sites are Galloway Creek (GAC) and Dry Creek (DAC), which both flow into Lake Sonoma.

In the Yuba River watershed, the two upgraded sites are Upper Dry Creek (UDC) and Little Dry Creek (LDM) on the Dry Creek tributary of the Yuba River.

Real-time stage and discharge data is now available on CDEC’s website for WIC, PEC, MCR, CDC, and stage data for BYS, MEW, GAC, DAC, UDC, and LDM. Discharge data for BYS, MEW, GAC, DAC, UDC, and LDM will be available once the rating curves to calculate discharge are developed for these sites.

The stage and discharge data supports the Russian River Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) project and the Yuba-Feather FIRO project, which research ways to improve the reservoir operations at Lake Mendocino, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, and Lake Oroville by updating the water control manuals to reflect improvements in weather and streamflow forecasts. A list of all of CW3E’s sites on CDEC with links to data, both streamgages and weather stations, can be found on CDEC’s website.

Fig. 1: Left: A map showing the locations of the telemetered streamgages at six sites flowing into Lake Mendocino and two sites flowing into Lake Sonoma in the Russian River Watershed . Right: A map showing the locations of the telemetered streamgages at two sites on the Dry Creek tributary of the Yuba River.

Fig. 2: (left) Garrett McGurk installs the new water level sensor at Cold Creek. (middle left) Ethan Morris installs a staff gauge at Dry Creek. (middle right) Sarah Burnett installs the new water level sensor at Little Dry Creek. (right) Adolfo Lopez-Miranda and Ava Cooper prepare to route the water level sensor cable at Upper Dry Creek.