Water managers were caught off guard by a sudden decision from the Army Corps of Engineers to dump massive amounts of water from Kaweah and Success lakes, prompting fears of flooding similar to the devastating 2023 floods. Despite limited communication from the Army Corps, managers successfully negotiated for reduced water releases. Speculation arose regarding potential political motivations for the sudden decision and concerns were raised about lack of safety notifications. The unexpected turn of events left water managers scrambling to prepare for potential flooding as they worked to limit the amount of water released. Overall, the situation highlighted the challenges of balancing flood control measures with downstream agricultural needs.
https://sjvwater.org/decision-to-dump-water-from-tulare-county-lakes-altered-after-sending-locals-in-mad-scramble/