Sunday E-dition: Lake Berryessa — Glory Hole Watch 2025
By Peter Kilkus
NAPA COUNTY, Calif. — The official announcement came in the middle of the day on Tuesday, Feb. 4, after heavy rainfall: "Solano County Water Agency Glory Hole Spill Advisory, 2/4/2025, 6:15 PM. The Lake Berryessa Water Surface Elevation is now above 440 feet, and the Glory Hole is spilling." Lake level rose quickly to 441.3 feet, 1.3 feet above Glory Hole by 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
The Lake Berryessa water level continued to rise rapidly on 3.97 inches of rain at Monticello Dam and reached 442.6 feet, 2.6 feet above Glory Hole, on Friday, Feb. 7. The question now seemed to be how high the lake would get. And then the rain stopped. And the Lake Berryessa water level started to drop to 441.8 feet on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
But social media activity exploded again with thousands of hits per day on the Lake Berryessa News website and the Lake Berryessa News Facebook page.
The Lake Berryessa Glory Hole garnered articles in The New York Times: "Days of Heavy Rain Turn California Lake Into a Quirky Tourist Spot."
And in the Los Angeles Times: "Northern California’s famed ‘Glory Hole’ spillway is used for first time in years." Stories also appeared in other newspapers and television news spots.
Do Other Glory Holes Exist?
There are many morning glory spillways around the world. The closest to Lake Berryessa is the one at Whiskeytown Lake near Redding. The photo below shows Whiskeytown Lake's Glory Hole overflowing last year. The latest Bureau of Reclamation press release reports that it has already spilled this year.
Below are photos of several other Glory Hole-type spillways in other countries.
Glory Hole Through History
Since Monticello Dam was completed in 1958, Lake Berryessa has only spilled over the lip of Glory Hole 28 times. The first was in 1963. 2006 was the 25th, 2017 was the 26th and 2019 was the 27th. This year, 2025, is the 28th spill.
For decades most people at Lake Berryessa were more concerned about droughts. They were used to the regular rise and fall of the lake. When the lake level got at or above Glory Hole, they noticed it mostly at the launch ramps, and the high water levels usually only lasted a few days or weeks. If you boated over to the dam, Glory Hole did not stand out against the background, and the safety buoys prevented you from getting close. Glory Hole was not anything special.
A search of old newspaper records also did not turn up much. I could never find any photos of that historic day except the one below. What we now know was the highest level on record reached by Lake Berryessa occurred in 1983, when lake hit 446.7 feet — 6.7 feet above Glory Hole. The article below was quite restrained. Remember that this was before the days of digital cameras, smartphones and drones.
The Glory Hole had a moment of notoriety in 1997, when a woman took her own life by jumping into it. The water was only inches above the lip. Although some news stories attempted to sensationalize the tragedy by claiming she was "sucked into" the spillway, she actually had to climb over the lip and jump in.
A New York Times reporter asked me last week when I had first seen Glory Hole. I actually could not remember. My first experience with lake levels was a flood in 1998, when the lake rose many feet very quickly below my house, 5 feet in four days. As a newcomer to Lake Berryessa, I was quite surprised. You can see my experience with my first flood at the end of my short video, Steele Park Resort Tour 1998.
Why Is Lake Berryessa's Glory Hole So Famous?
The Glory Hole spill in 2006 kicked off an 11-year drought in style. Besides the flooding and typical wind damage, it also caused a major landslide on Monticello Road just past the Wooden Valley Road turnoff. The road to Napa was closed for about two weeks. I had just bought my place above the Berryessa Highlands, and it was an unwelcome introduction to country living. At least I did not have to commute daily to Napa as so many of my neighbors did.
At that time some friends and I resurrected the Lake Berryessa Chamber of Commerce and I joined Shirl Katleba in writing and publishing The Lake Berryessa News. It was also the most active period in our battle with the Bureau of Reclamation to stop their destructive Visitor Services Plan.
The Lake Berryessa community coalesced around the idea of promoting the amazing recreational resource of Lake Berryessa to the world. Our first big hurdle was to get Napa County to realize that Lake Berryessa even existed. That took a couple of years. The second roadblock was to get Napa County and the "Napa Valley Only" folks to admit that Lake Berryessa even mattered. That took another few years. Some of you may remember our "Allie, the Lake Berryessa Alligator" campaign, our own Loch Ness monster, to entice folks to come to the lake.
The Lake Berryessa Chamber of Commerce became active, and The Lake Berryessa News provided regular news and information about Lake Berryessa, including daily monitoring of lake levels and Monticello Dam statistics focusing on lake levels relative to Glory Hole.
Meanwhile, digital photography and video production advanced rapidly, culminating in the introduction of the first of the modern drones. The Lake Berryessa News was lucky to have the first of the drone video pioneers as our associate editor, Evan Kilkus. You probably saw some of his great videos documenting the 2014 Napa earthquake and supporting the community’s recovery efforts. Evan soon started making amazing drone videos of Lake Berryessa, Monticello Dam and Glory Hole. And then, in 2017, came an unanticipated big bang of a heavy rainfall year, and Evan was there to document the rapid rise of the lake to overflow Glory Hole for the first time in 11 years.
You can watch the series of videos that made Glory Hole internationally famous (they never get old) here. Some of those videos were seen by more than a million people around the world with the highest viewing audience at 62 million for "Lake Berryessa is 3.5' OVER the Glory Hole Spillway."
The Lake Berryessa News Facebook page grew to more than 30,000 followers in only a few weeks (now at 38,511). The Lake Berryessa News website received more than 3,000 hits per day. But still I don't remember the first time I saw Glory Hole from the road.
What Do People See When They Gaze Into Glory Hole?
As a physicist, I see the beauty of science in action, the smooth elegance of moving water expressing the basic equations of laminar fluid flow. Love of science and the emotional effect of art are compatible human emotions. Carol D Basey gave us some beautiful work this week.
Some people express fear or unease. They look into Glory Hole and see their soul.
Glory Hole Watch 2025 will continue until the water stops flowing. Follow The Lake Berryessa News to keep up. If you would like to know almost everything there is to know about Lake Berryessa, check out my book: “Lake Berryessa Technical Manual: The Science, Engineering, History, and Humor of a Major Unnatural Resource.” Free downloadable chapters are available on my website at: www.lakeberryessanews.com.
Peter Kilkus is a Napa-County based journalist who has owned and operated the Lake Berryessa News since 2009.
Todays’ Polls
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Poems of the Day
PATINA PEOPLE
By Antonia Allegra
Once, a million years ago,
Last week,
I felt close to all people
to speak, to whisper dreams,
to hum magical tunes,
to wonder.
Now, since going through the door, a change
A new understanding:
The universal range of loving all people
is still there…
I still care
But it’s the patina people
who truly speak to me.
Those people worn around the edges from loving,
Their brilliant shine dulled by years of giving,
Their immediate smile speaks of sincerity.
They are the real people,
their numbers are few,
but their loving influence
is the strength of many.
The patina people are the past,
for without it, they would not be
so strongly in the present,
shining for us all.
And the future … Yes, they are there,
For patina people never leave us.—
About the Author: A longtime member of the St. Helena community and an active Napa Valley Features contributor, Toni Allegra is a writer, editor and actor. She played a key role in launching culinary programs at Beringer Vineyards and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and founded three local lifestyle magazines. Writing poetry since childhood, she brings a lifelong love of language to her work.
Are you a poet, or do you have a favorite piece of verse you'd like to share? Napa Valley Features invites you to submit your poems for consideration in this series. Email your submissions to napavalleyfeatures@gmail.com with the subject line: "Poem of the Day Submission." Selected poets will receive a one-year paid subscription to Napa Valley Features (a $60 value). We can’t wait to hear from you.
Caption Contest
Pick your favorite caption or add your own in the comments below.
Possible Captions:
"My liege, the gopher has been surrounded… again."
"Victory is ours! Although casualties were significant."
"Shall we mount its head on a pike, sire?"
"Your Highness, the gopher is requesting terms of surrender."
"Sound the trumpets! The land is safe once more!"
Last week’s contest results
In “Sunday E-dition: Wild Mushroom Season,” the winning caption was, ""The Path Less Traveled,” with 50% of the votes.
"Trust Your Instincts.”
"This Sign Knows Something You Don’t."
"A Few Have Gone This Way Before.”
"The Path Less Traveled.”
“Are You Sure?”
Last Week
Sasha Paulsen profiled photographers Lowell Downey and Janna Waldinger in "Art & Clarity," chronicling their decades-long partnership and evolution in the photography industry. Founders of Art & Clarity, the duo adapted to the digital revolution by shifting from traditional photography to offering immersive experiences through "The Art of Seeing," a workshop teaching storytelling through photography. Their work has taken them around the world, but they remain deeply connected to Napa Valley, using their craft to support local causes and businesses. Recognized by The New York Times as a top photography experience, their approach helps visitors engage with Napa’s beauty beyond wine. Despite personal and industry changes, they continue to emphasize creativity, storytelling and community engagement.
Tim Carl examined Napa Valley's 2024 grape harvest in "Under the Hood: 2024 Harvest Report Reveals a Market Splitting in Two," highlighting a 23.1% drop in cabernet sauvignon tonnage while prices remained nearly steady. The data pointed to a growing divide, with demand for ultra-premium grapes holding firm while mid-tier sales declined. Industry experts attributed the contraction to economic pressures rather than weather-related factors, as some growers pulled vines early due to rising costs. Statewide, California’s grape harvest saw its lowest yield since 2004, with mid-tier regions hit hardest. The findings suggested a structural shift in the wine market, with Napa’s ability to sustain pricing reinforcing the increasing polarization between luxury and mid-priced segments.
Dan Berger explored the nuances of white wine aromatics in "Dan Berger’s Wine Chronicles: Varietal Precision — Whites," emphasizing how different grape varieties produce distinct scents that are often debated among experts. He detailed key characteristics of popular whites, including chardonnay’s citrus and oak influences, sauvignon blanc’s herbaceous notes, riesling’s floral and mineral complexity, and viognier’s floral intensity. Berger also highlighted how terroir and winemaking techniques impact a wine’s final profile. He noted that while aromatic precision is often overlooked, understanding varietal specificity enhances both wine appreciation and quality expectations.
Penny Pawl discussed caring for waxed amaryllis bulbs in "Keep Your Amaryllis Blooming," sharing her experience with a holiday gift of a wax-sealed bulb. She described how the bulbs require no water while encased, produce vibrant blooms, and can either be discarded or replanted. After removing the wax, she followed expert advice to plant the bulb, noting that forcing a rebloom involves a period of darkness. Pawl also highlighted differing recommendations on long-term care, with some gardeners successfully maintaining waxed bulbs for years. She encouraged experimentation to find the best method for extending the plant’s life.
Chris Benz detailed a local waste education initiative in "Teaching Kids to 'Talk Trash,'" highlighting efforts by Napa Climate NOW! volunteers to teach students about responsible waste disposal. Led by Chris McClure, the program engages children through hands-on activities that help them categorize waste and understand decomposition times. Partnering with the City of Napa’s Solid Waste and Recycling Division, the initiative supports California’s landfill-reduction goals by increasing awareness among students and educators. Napa schools diverted 51.5% of waste in the 2023-2024 school year, with a target of 75%. McClure aims to expand the training to all Napa fourth-graders, reinforcing the idea that waste should be seen as a resource rather than trash.
