Chad Blanchard at the Watermaster's office in Reno says that the "California/Nevada River Forecast Center predicts 60,000 acre-feet will be added to the lake by the end of the week--most in the next few days." The accuracy of the forecasting models is not perfect, of course. An acre-foot is enough water to flood an acre of land to a depth of one foot. It's 325,851 gallons, or enough water to supply three to four families for a year.

The single gate currently open in the dam at Tahoe City will remain unchanged, but the Truckee River will pick up volume as it twists its way toward Reno. There are two culverts just below the dam in Tahoe City; they drain parts of town and feed into the river. At Alpine Meadows, Bear Creek adds a lot of water to the river...and then Squaw Creek does...and so on down the way