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All eyes on Lake Berryessa’s ‘glory hole’ as reservoir approaches capacity

For the first time in 11 years, water splashed down the funnel drain at Lake Berryessa last weekend, as people watched from Monticello Dam and a drone flew overhead to capture this historic moment.

But was the spill legit? Was the federal reservoir fully at capacity after years of drought?

As it turned out, the spillage had speed boat assistance. Water craft created waves pushing water the final few inches over the top of the giant, 72-inch diameter concrete funnel nicknamed the “glory hole.”

Peter Kilkus, who puts out the Lake Berryessa News and arranged for the drone flight, defended this boat-assisted spillage.

“Yes, it counts, in its own way,” Kilkus said on Tuesday. “We created history by doing it. And it was real. It’s Lake Berryessa water and you can see it on the video going into the glory hole. It’s kind of cool to do it that way.”

There are naysayers. Kilkus said one person suggested the move had all the legitimacy of getting the glory hole wet by tossing water balloons into it.

Kilkus’ joking reply: Just make sure the balloons contain Lake Berryessa water.

The glory hole spillway keeps nearby water from topping 300-foot-high, concrete Monticello Dam. It takes water for a plunge roughly equivalent to a 25-floor building and empties it into Putah Creek downstream from the base of dam.