SAN DIEGO — The series of winter storms we saw earlier in the year is causing rising river and stream flow levels not seen in years.
The Savage Dam at the lower Otay Reservoir is spilling over. It’s the result of high-water levels, which currently reach 137.38 feet.
“The dam is about 98 percent full. We’ve had a lot of rain over the last three or four months and a lot of that precipitation is collected here," said Marlon King, Emergency Services Manager, with Chula Vista Fire Department.
Video from drones flying above shows a pathway where you typically walk on, is underwater, including the boat ramp.
“What you’re seeing, the water in this dam could be from some snowpack melt, a lot of the estuaries from these mountains and these hills all come down to this area which is why we’re seeing the water levels so high," said King.
Currently, water is spilling at a rate of approximately 30 million gallons per day.
The city of San Diego’s Otay Water Treatment Plant typically pulls water from both the reservoir and aqueduct, based on demand.
To avoid spilling, the city began drawing 100 percent of the reservoir water back on March 14th. They expect it will take several weeks for the water to reach below a level where it will stop spilling.
“This dam is filling up and when there’s nowhere for the water to go it's just going to spill over the spillway, down to the Otay River Valley and head west toward the bay which is a completely normal function," added King.
This comes as state officials are calling on Californians to be mindful when near or around bodies of water.
According to California's Division of Boating and Waterways, the Department of Water Resources, and CalFire, water levels are expected to rise quickly as the snowpack begins to melt.
King says you should expect levels to rise even more in the coming months.
“Make sure you know the rules, and make sure you educate yourself just about
water safety in general," he adds.