The American River water level will continue to rise Thursday as operators have begun increasing water releases through Nimbus Dam. First Nimbus Dam gate opened at 7:30 a.m. American River to steadily rise all day. By late afternoon, 15,000 c.f.s out of Nimbus. The first gate at the dam opened at 7:30 a.m., releasing 5,000 cubic feet per second of water downstream. “Been such a long time since the drought started. It’s a treat to see,” said Glen Lutz who came to watch the gates open. Throughout the day, the water releases were scheduled to increase steadily.