Water was up to the top, and the second great year in a row. We can't help but think water conservation might have something to do with it. Watering your lawn less, not washing your cars in the driveway, fixing leaky toilets. Every little bit helps. Well, that, and lots of wishful thinking and rain dances so we can enjoy this great lake.

Here's to the happiest of holidays! from your friends at Holiday Harbor and Keep Shasta Full

We are full again friends. It's going to be a great summer. It's such an amazing thing that ever since we started Keep Shasta Full we've had some incredible rain and runoff years bringing our lake levels all the way to the top every spring. We'd like to think it's equal parts thinking positive about this lake we all love, and people conserving more water every day so we don't use it all up too quickly.

Now's the time folks, book your trip to the lake because summer is just around the corner. And for those that want to support us with stickers for their cars, boats, wakeboards or tackle boxes, email us at Holiday Harbor with your name and address and we'll send you one.

holidayharbor@lakeshasta.com

onelove,
KSF

photo courtesy of our Facebook friend Jay Dannenmann

Lots of snow at Lake Shasta this past week. Looking for a full lake this Spring and Summer. We can't wait!

Less than 5 feet from the top. We did it. It's been a good year, and with lots of snow still in the foothills and on Mt. Shasta, it should hopefully stay pretty darn full all through the summer season. But you never know. It's up to us to keep it as full as we can. As you are setting up your sprinkler systems on your lawns and gardens, and you start washing your car in your driveway, think about all that water you waste and where it comes from. Do your part to not waste it. Then get out to this most spectacular place and enjoy it.

WEND Magazine is a pretty kickass publication that talks about, and shows off, all things great outdoors. From adventure travel to real environmental issues that effect us all.

It's amazing how much we take water for granted while we overwater our lawn, wash our cars in the driveway, and leave the faucet on when we shave or brush our teeth.

This should put some things into perspective.

World Water Day is just about a month away, on March 22, 2010. While we think about all the things we can do to conserve water for our own good, and enjoy the amazing lake that holds it all for us, let's also think about giving back to others where simply having clean water is a crisis.

http://www.worldwaterday2010.info/

Learn about other things you can do here and here.

Redding's newspaper, The Record Searchlight, featured a front page article on how high the water is rising at Lake Shasta because of the recent storms. Lots of shots of Holiday Harbor and the crew out there moving the docks around to keep up with the rising shoreline.

All great signs that water is more plentiful this year than over the last few. Now, to just keep it there. Just because rain and snow are filling the lake, doesn't mean we shouldn't keep conserving wherever we can. Remember, don't waste. Now go book a houseboat vacation, and start dreaming about summer wakeboarding and fishing. Looks like it's going to be a good year.

Lots of great storms in the north state are bring the lake level up. We're only 85 feet from the top. The Mt. Shasta area got hit with so much snow a lot of folks were without power for a few days. Even the ski area on Mt. Shasta was shut down for a few days without power, only to open up recently with 9 feet of fresh powder. The recent Redding Marathon was a rainy day too.

All of these things are great signs that we are on our way to getting a full lake by the time summer rolls around. Keep doing those dances folks.

Photo courtesy of shastalake.com

60 Minutes aired a segment on California's water problems this past Sunday. Focusing on the 3-year drought's effect on the state, they spoke primarily to Schwarzenneger on the endangered delta smelt that resulted in shutting down water pumps that supply an abundance of water for the farmer's in southern California. No matter what side of this story you sit on, it is true that there is a lot of fighting over water and the drought's effect on agriculture, which no doubt is a huge deal.

But let's not forget tourism. Lake Shasta is a huge tourist draw, not to mention, the entire state of California is known for the revenue that tourism brings in. That's why we always see Arnold's smiling face in those California - Find Yourself Here commercials. We want more water in our lakes and rivers and deltas so we can enjoy them no matter how we do it.

Many of the solutions to all of these water problems - rebuild the water system. Or build more of it. New levees. New canals. New pumps. And we know they are still talking about raising Shasta Dam up to 18 feet, which would then allow for more water storage (see map below). Unfortunately, that would wipe out almost all of the buildings of all the houseboat resorts around Lake Shasta. Good thing those boats and all the docks they moor will all stay float no matter how high the dam goes.

But truth of the matter is, if we don't stop using so much of our water...especially in times of drought, we won't ever have an opportunity to use an expanded dam if the water levels don't come up. So our solutions - whether you are a farmer, a fisherman, a houseboater, an environmentalist, or the governor - be smart about the water you do use and stop wasting it! In the meantime, we'll keep doing our rain dances.

onelove,
KSF

Map courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

As we wait for more storms, with more rain and snow to hit the north state, let's remind ourselves of other ways to conserve water. Thanks to the folks up in Mt. Shasta who know what they are talking about. Check out their environmental blog here, with a recent post about the "Cash for Clunker Appliances" program. If we get a big snowfall up on Mt. Shasta, that will lead to lot's of runoff. So when you aren't wakeboarding this winter, maybe you're up there snowboarding.

Here's their community's other water saving tips:

• Water your lawn ONLY when it needs it. Set your sprinklers for more days in between watering. (Saves 750-1,500 gallons per month) In times of drought, use a hose.
• Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. (Saves 20 gallons per day per leak stopped)
• Don't run the hose while washing your car. Place a spray fixture on your hose so the water won't run continuously. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end. (Saves 150 gallons each time)
• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors in your home. (Saves 500-800 gallons per month)
• Run only FULL loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. (Saves 300-800 gallons per month)
• Shorten your showers. A one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. (Saves 150 gallons or more each time)
• Don't use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. (Saves 400-600 gallons per month)
• Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water (or colder water) to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden. (Saves 200-300 gallons per month)
• Don't water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs — and only there. (Saves 500 gallons per month)

Just remembering that the band Pavement has a great lyric that references Lake Shasta. It's in the song Unfair off the album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. I'm posting this one because Pavement is an incredible band with a huge cult following, and they are straight out of Stockton, Northern Cal. Lucky for their adoring fans and any music geeks like myself who never got to see them, they are reuniting for some shows next year. Take the lyrics for what they are worth. To me, a reference to the waters of Shasta feeding all of California. So what do we say to this, respect the water and save it wherever you can. Don't waste. Then go see Pavement when they go on tour!

I couldn't resist the late, great Chris Farley's weather forecast for El Nino. So that's the prediction this year which is great for NoCal rainfall. Read more about what that means here. El Nino courtesy of UCSD. And to put this all into perspective, here's a report on another El Nino back in 1997 and it's rainfall just in San Francisco alone...

I asked our Facebook friends to send in any photos they had of their Keep Shasta Full stickers on their cars or boats or wherever. Got some good ones! Thanks John and Craig. Craig actually has his sticker up next to his desk where he works at Nike, right along side two other Lake Shasta classics...a sticker for Aunt Joe Mama's Boot Syrup and a brochure for the Parasailing boat that Craig and I use to work on at Holiday Harbor. Hopefully if that water gets up next summer, they can get that parasail operation running again. No better way to see the lake than from 500 feet above it! Also here's a nice shot of a KSF sticker parked right behind a Keep Tahoe Blue sticker (it's the blue sticker on the cargo box, sorry, a little tough to see in this shot!) Funny enough, this was taken in Boulder, Colorado. Sharing the love for all the great Northern California lakes!

Ultimately all the water from Lake Shasta, by way of the Sacramento River and the Delta, ends up in the San Francisco Bay. We here at KSF care about all water related issues. There is one that is of of particularly larger concern for the world...plastics. More specifically plastic bags. If you haven't seen the documentary movie, Addicted to Plastics, check it out. It'll open your eyes. Check out the trailer here.

Save the Bay is taking on plastic bags and they've got a cool video to show the impact here.




Anyone ever hear of the giant plastic swirl in our oceans?! It's enough to freak anyone out. So when you are doing your best to conserve water, do what you can to reduce your plastic waste. Try a Klean Kanteen from the good people down in Chico, CA, making them.