The American River is different in the winter

American River on the rise
Originally uploaded by Brite light photos.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The American River has spilled over its normal watercourse, but not so bad that anyone cares much.

Each year, enough water is let out to flood this parking lot, (a block from our old condominium that) and no auto traffic is allowed down to the water's edge.

With more rain forecast for the next week, the dam operators (damn operators?) are not taking any chances and Saturday the water started rising. Today the parking lot is probably completely under water.

Last summer and fall, I kayaked at least once a week out past where you see this photo, though the water was about four feet lower and very clean. I parked under that tree in the center on numerous occasions to keep my little Nissan pickup truck from getting boiled in the hot Sacramento sun.

The photo below is of some newly formed rapids, caused by the 3,000 gallons of water per second being let out of Folsom Dam (yup, right by the prison from the Johnny Cash song). In the summer, this roiling water is calm and flat and you can see the fish swimming about six or seven feet below.