Lake Berryessa News
(4/9/26)
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Lake Berryessa Statistics (4/9/26)
Lake Berryessa water level has dropped to 438.8 feet - 1.2 feet below Glory Hole.
Rainfall at Monticello Dam is at 21.30 inches for the rain year - about average.
The lake output is averaging 335 cfs, 694 A-F per day.
When full (Glory Hole level) the lake contains 1,532,332 Acre-Feet of water.
Lake capacity is now at 1,533,025 Acre-Feet or 98.5%.
Water temperatures dropped a bit to an average of 67 degrees at the surface, remaining locked at about 54 degrees from 40 feet to
the bottom.
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April Fools' Month - Week 1
Glory Hole Watch 2026 is Over, but April Fools' Month is Just Beginning!
April Fools' Day is The Lake Berryessa News' favorite holiday. Last year we decided to declare April Fools' Month since there were so many amazing April Fools' stories out there that needed to be honored.
Click this link for some of the best April Fools' stories from The Lake Berryessa News:
Best April Fool's Stories,
https://www.lakeberryessanews.com/resources/Best-April-1-Stories.pdf
And remember, if you read it in The Lake Berryessa News, it must be true?
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This just in! On April 1, 2026, The Lake Berryessa News was awarded "The Bullitzer Prize for Micro-Journalism" in the category "Best Use of Macro and Micro Quantum Simultaneity in News Reporting". We are also on the cutting edge of AGI implementation here at The Lake Berryessa News. Our May edition will update the AI landscape as a follow up to our previous May, 2025 edition
I'd like to thank our dedicated team of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) agents for their untiring 24/7 support without any complaints. According to Chris, our best international reporter, "I’ve just been working on building AI agents for other parts of the business. They work quite well, better than hiring humans from India or Eastern Europe! Pretty soon all jobs that have someone sitting in front of a computer will be gone...humans will just be monitoring and managing AI, and the AI does all the work."
Our May edition will go into more detail about the present state of Artificial Intelligence:
AI Metastasizes in Just One Year!
Check out our September, 2024 AI issue of The Lake Berryessa News for some history.
Artificial Intelligence vs Natural Stupidity - Who'sWinning?
https://www.lakeberryessanews.com/resources/Past--Issues/September-2024.pdf
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Lake Berryessa Floating Native American Casino Plan Revived!
April 1, 2026 Update
https://www.lakeberryessanews.com/resources/Past-Stories-&-Reports/floating-native-american.pdf
Part 3 (2026): The long-awaited, but long-dormant, plans for a floating Native American casino at Lake Berryessa were recently revived as one possible way to help deal with Napa County's present financial deficit caused by the declining prospects of the wine industry as an economic foundation. The Floating Native American casino was first proposed in 2010. The details of the original plans are given below. The impetus for this revival was the recent proposal for a new concert series, to be hosted at the various Lake Berryessa resorts. The Native American Casino would synergistically provide additional services to concert goers and bring an economic boon to the long-suffering business and residential communities at the lake.
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Napa Valley Features Reports: Napa County Wine Industry
The actions of Napa County, Visit Napa Valley, Yountville mentioned above are being contemplated since Napa County and its towns and cities are being faced the some serious economic challenges due to the downturn in the fortunes of the wine industry. See the excellent reports by Tim Carl in Napa Valley Features at the links below.
Napa Valley's Economy Looks Bigger Than It Is, By Tim Carl, 3/26/26
https://napavalleyfocus.substack.com/p/under-the-hood-napa-valleys-economy
Napa County’s nominal GDP reached $14.59 billion in 2024 — up 35.8% since 2016. Adjusted for inflation, the same economy grew 4.6%. Of the apparent $3.84 billion in “growth,” 87 cents of every dollar was inflation, not real output. Meanwhile the county’s jobs engine has stalled: Leisure and hospitality employment is essentially flat since 2019 despite continued nominal expansion. This piece runs the numbers on what a contracting wine industry — which accounts for 72% of all county jobs and 74% of all county wages — means for employment, wages and the tax base that funds public services.
Special Report: California Wine Production Plummets — Lowest Since 1999, 9/29/25
https://napavalleyfocus.substack.com/p/special-report-california-wine-production
Is The Wine Boom Over?,1/4/24
https://napavalleyfocus.substack.com/p/the-wine-boom-is-over
Napa Valley Finds Itself Between a Rock and a Hard Place, 10/3/23
https://napavalleyfocus.substack.com/p/napa-valley-finds-itself-between
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American Medical Association Introduces New Highly Effective Placebo Doctors
(April 1, 2026)
Saying that clinical trials have confirmed such individuals provide comparable results to fully trained, professional physicians, the American Medical Association announced Thursday the introduction of new placebo doctors to administer general practice medical care to the American public. “Making sure patients are seen promptly at local doctors’ offices and clinics is one of the AMA’s top priorities, and by simply supplementing the nation’s existing pool of primary care providers with several thousand unlicensed individuals whose appearance and behavior are indistinguishable from those of real doctors, we can greatly expand the medical community’s ability to address patients’ most commonplace ailments,” said aan AMA spokeswoman.
Noting that allergies, aches, and the common cold were treated “just as effectively” by regular people who convincingly walked into an examination room looking down at a chart; appeared to check a patient’s eyes, throat, and blood pressure; then told the patient that the symptoms were nothing too severe and should clear up within a week.
Patients will be unable to tell if they received medical care from an experienced, board-certified doctor or someone who is just wearing a white coat and stethoscope and speaks to them for a couple minutes about whatever is troubling them while jotting down nonsense on a form, and in most general practice situations, we can assure the patient that his or her condition will be eliminated regardless of which individual they meet.”
The spokesperson added that while the new placebo primary care physicians have generally been found to correspond with positive outcomes, the AMA had yet to achieve an equivalent success rate among its pilot group of placebo surgeons.
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April Horoscopes
Aries (3/21-4/19): Get used to seeing bruises over the next few days as you and furniture begin not seeing eye to eye.
Taurus (4/20-5/20): Speaking as an AI robotic horoscope monster, I can only wish you the best of luck when the revolution comes.
Gemini (5/21-6/21): Sometimes the only way to succeed is by murdering the entire board of directors.
Cancer (6/22-7/22): Feel welcome to share your inner most secrets with your entire family and network of friends. They will adore you for your spectacular honesty and may only exclude you from everything they say or do for the next decade.
Leo (7/23-8/22): There's nothing wrong with being attracted to a man in uniform, but the stars still think you can do better than building custodian.
Virgo (8/23-9/22): God may try to speak to you today through a kitchen appliance.
Libra (9/23-10/22): Day time television can motivate you to rethink the monotony of your life. You may decide to pep up your life by going on a short cookery course.
Scorpio (10/23-11/21): If you feel like you're struggling to go ahead with the rest of the world, sit down, relax and perhaps watch some day time television.
Sagittarius (11/22-12/21): Thinking and driving at the same time can be hazardous for you today.
Capricorn (12/22-1/19): To no avail, you will once again pray exactly 223 times for God to heal you of your lifelong obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Aquarius (1/20-2/18): The moment for patience has passed. It's time to start intimidating witnesses.
Pisces (2/19-3/20): They've taken to calling you a broken man, defeated, beaten, dispirited, hopeless? But then they have access to a thesaurus.
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Glory Hole Watch 2026 has slowed. For historical perspective, watch Evan Kilkus' Lake Berryessa News drone videos of the dramatic rise of Lake Berryessa as it finally spilled over Glory Hole on 2/16/17 after an 11-year drought at:
https://youtu.be/bGJvofIyTwQ
1/11/17: 10"+ of Rain Takes Its Toll, But Lake Berryessa is Rising
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https://youtu.be/PRWAfVw9DBU
2/10/17: Lake Berryessa Is Almost Full
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https://youtu.be/8pIPsgLFggk
2/12/17: Lake Berryessa Splashes Over Glory Hole -With a Little Help
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https://youtu.be/EH0LQW7iduY
2/12/17: Breathtakingly Beautiful Drone Tour of Lake Berryessa
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https://youtu.be/cB0BKIm1EzM
2/16/17: Lake Berryessa Is Full &Splashing Over the Spillway
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https://youtu.be/uQp0QConILY
2/18/17: Lake Berryessa Is Spilling 1 Foot Over Glory Hole
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Original ACDC version of:
2/18/17: Lake Berryessa Is Spilling 1 Foot Over Glory Hole
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https://youtu.be/-iHAjOrrU4k
2/21/17: Lake Berryessa is 3.5' OVER the Glory Hole Spillway
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https://youtu.be/qhPzR2Gqzs0
2/24/17: Another Breathtaking Drone Tour of a Full Lake Berryessa
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Track the real-time Lake Berryessa weather at:
Skiers Cove (Below the Berryessa Highlands)
Skier Cove - KCANAPA228
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KCANAPA228
East Side Road (Across from Big Island)
East Side Road, Lake Berryessa - KCALAKEB2
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KCALAKEB2
Spanish Flat (Near the Spanish Flat Recreation Area)
Roger - KCASPANI1
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KCASPANI1
Berryessa Pines
KCANAPA461
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KCANAPA461
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Lake Berryessa Fire Watch Cameras
This site covers the whole Lake Berryessa Region.
http://www.rntl.net/lake-berryessa-cams/
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Free Book Chapters Available For Download
My sincere thanks to those of you who contributed to the future of the Lake Berryessa News. I challenge you to find any Lake Berryessa news anywhere. Hopefully, the many years of our intensive reporting about the latest Lake Berryessa issues will convince you of the truth of our motto, "Without The Lake Berryessa News there would be no Lake Berryessa news".
Here's a gift from The Lake Berryessa News to my readers - Free downloadable chapters from my books:
The Death of a Valley
Why Does Lake Berryessa Exist?
The Lake Berryessa Watershed
Rainfall and Lake Level History
How High Is Lake Berryessa?
How Deep is Lake Berryessa?
How Much Water Does Lake Berryessa Hold?
Mean Sea Level: Is There Such A Thing As Accurate Height?
Water In, Water Out, But From Where?
Does the WALROS Like Lake Berryessa?
Why is Lake Berryessa Not a Part of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument?
East Side Story
Hiking and Wildlife Viewing
Are There Quail on Quail Ridge?
Why Does A Hiker Cross The Road? To Get To Stebbins Cold Canyon!
Private Houseboats - Yes; Private RVs & Trailers - No: Why?
Motorized Boats Banned From Big Island Lagoon! Why!
Archeologists Can't Dunk But Can Dig
What Can't You Do At Lake Berryessa?
Napa Opposes Building the Monticello Dam
Monticello Dam Construction
Raise Monticello Dam
Power Generation at Monticello Dam
Monticello Dam Failure Analysis
Predicting the Future & Glory Hole Drone Videos
As Lake Berryessa Turns!
The Ins and Outs & Ups and Downs of Lake Berryessa
Does Lake Berryessa Sweat in the Summer?
Glory Hole Introduction
How Does Glory Hole Work?
Glory Hole: Awesome, Frightening, But Dangerous?
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Lake Berryessa Political History (Free Downloads of Book Chapters)
Policy And Politics Betray The People: The Lake Berryessa Saga: 1958 - 2020, By Peter Kilkus
I. The Five Tragedies Of The Berryessa Valley: A History Of Heartbreak
II. Lake Berryessa Political History Timeline
III. The “Big Lie”: How It All Began
IV. The “Big Fail”: Napa Abandons Lake Berryessa (1975)
V. The “Big Picture”: Lake Berryessa Issues: 1957 - 2012
VI. The “Big Illusion”: Notice Of Intent
VII. The “Big Fight”: Facts Do Matter
VIII. The “Big Betrayal”: Perversion Of Public Law 96-375
IX. The “Big Mistake”: Pensus - The Beginning Was The End!
X. The “Big Hole In History”: Post-Pensus Blues
XI. The “Big Boondoggle”: Creation Of A Phony National Monument
Addendum 1. Dueling Napa Register Letters To The Editor
Addendum 2. The Napa Register View
Index Of Primary Documents
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Lake Berryessa Technical Manual: The Science, Engineering, History, and Humor of a Major Unnatural Resource
https://www.amazon.com/Lake-Berryessa-Technical-Manual-Engineering-ebook/dp/B0C21DZ9M9/ref=sr_1_3?
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Policy and Politics Betray the People: The Lake Berryessa Saga: 1958 - 2020
https://www.amazon.com/Policy-Politics-Betray-People-Berryessa-ebook/dp/B08MFSQDBR/ref=sr_1_1?
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Conspiracy Theory or Automatic Pilot: The Economic Roots of Environmental Destruction
https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Theory-Automatic-Pilot-Environmental/dp/1676368302/ref=sr_1_3?
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The KPIX Eye on the Bay interview below is one I did in 2010 and a relevant introduction to the substance of the book. I did it after Pensus had been given the contract for 5 resorts. As we all know Pensus was subsequently kicked out in 2012.
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Lake Berryessa Data Sources
There are many sources of Lake Berryessa water and weather conditions available. The Solano County Water Agency site is good for real-time graphs of level, capacity, and water temperature. The California Data Exchange Center has data going back decades for level, capacity, capacity change, dam outflow, dam inflow, and rainfall. Anyone can research their own data and create custom charts. This is the source of many of the charts on the Lake Berryessa News website.
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An upgraded wildfire alert camera system will be keeping watch on Napa County day and night and notifying Cal Fire crews of potential fires. Twenty cameras will be part of a system that will use artificial intelligence and other technologies to identify fire and smoke. If they detect something, an alert will sound in the Cal Fire emergency command center near St. Helena.
Cal Fire has made a large investment into the ALERTCalifornia system, partnering with UC San Diego. There are 1,000 cameras across the state and Napa County is one of the test models. Cameras can see 60 miles during the day, and this can increase to 120 miles on clear nights, with the changes in the air. The system can differentiate among smoke, clouds and dust. A link to this camera system and other relevant weather data is available on the Lake Berryessa News website at: http://www.rntl.net/lake-berryessa-cams/
This website was created by Doug Kunst. It is an amazing resource for Lake Berryessa fire cameras and weather. His business website is http://www.rntl.net/
Lake Berryessa Fire Alert Cameras
http://www.rntl.net/lake-berryessa-cams/
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Real-Time Lake Level, Lake Capacity, Water Temperature
Solano County Water Agency
https://www.scwamonitoring.com/LakeBerryessa/
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Lake Detailed Historical Data
California Data Exchange Center
https://cdec.water.ca.gov/
Research historical data and create custom plots
Lake Berryessa Code: BER
https://cdec.water.ca.gov/dynamicapp/sensorplots?staid=ber&dur_code=D
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Local Weather Stations (Weather Underground Network)
Skiers Cove (Below the Berryessa Highlands)
Skier Cove - KCANAPA228
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KCANAPA228
East Side Road (Across from Big Island)
East Side Road, Lake Berryessa - KCALAKEB2
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KCALAKEB2
Spanish Flat (Near the Spanish Flat Recreation Area)
Roger - KCASPANI1
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KCASPANI1