According to the Gopcevic Decree, the District must manage releases for flood prevention around the lake. This means that whenever the lake elevation exceeds the allowed level, the District must release water from Cache Creek Dam. The water storage limits begin to increase after January 8th of each year in order to maintain free board around the lake for anticipated inflow. Prior to January 8th, the lake must be maintained at or below 5.50 feet Rumsey. As the winter progresses, the lake is allowed to gradually fill up until it reaches 7.56 feet Rumsey. It should be noted that 7.56 feet Rumsey is a full lake, flood monitor stage is at 8.0 feet, and flood stage is at 9.0 feet Rumsey.
| Date | Lake Level | Date | Lake Level |
| January 8 | 5.50 | February 11 | 6.98 |
| January 9 | 5.56 | February 12 | 7.02 |
| January 10 | 5.62 | February 13 | 7.06 |
| January 11 | 5.68 | February 14 | 7.10 |
| January 12 | 5.74 | February 15 | 7.12 |
| January 13 | 5.80 | February 16 | 7.13 |
| January 14 | 5.86 | February 17 | 7.15 |
| January 15 | 5.92 | February 18 | 7.16 |
| January 16 | 5.96 | February 19 | 7.18 |
| January 17 | 6.00 | February 20 | 7.20 |
| January 18 | 6.04 | February 21 | 7.21 |
| January 19 | 6.08 | February 22 | 7.23 |
| January 20 | 6.12 | February 23 | 7.24 |
| January 21 | 6.16 | February 24 | 7.26 |
| January 22 | 6.20 | February 25 | 7.27 |
| January 23 | 6.23 | February 26 | 7.29 |
| January 24 | 6.27 | February 27 | 7.31 |
| January 25 | 6.31 | February 28 | 7.32 |
| January 26 | 6.35 | March 1 | 7.34 |
| January 27 | 6.39 | March 2 | 7.35 |
| January 28 | 6.43 | March 3 | 7.37 |
| January 29 | 6.47 | March 4 | 7.39 |
| January 30 | 6.51 | March 5 | 7.40 |
| January 31 | 6.55 | March 6 | 7.42 |
| February 1 | 6.59 | March 7 | 7.43 |
| February 2 | 6.63 | March 8 | 7.45 |
| February 3 | 6.67 | March 9 | 7.46 |
| February 4 | 6.71 | March 10 | 7.48 |
| February 5 | 6.75 | March 11 | 7.50 |
| February 6 | 6.79 | March 12 | 7.51 |
| February 7 | 6.82 | March 13 | 7.53 |
| February 8 | 6.86 | March 14 | 7.54 |
| February 9 | 6.90 | March 15 | 7.56 |
| February 10 | 6.94 |