Lower than average snowpack in California mountains
The snowpack level at the beginning of the month in California was just 83 percent of the average for March 1, the California Department of Water Resources (CA DWR) noted in its latest snow survey release.
In its third media-oriented snowpack survey of the season, the CA DWR studied Sierra Nevada snow conditions and found 17 inches of water content in the southern region — approximately 75 percent of normal for March 1.
Conditions were slightly improved, but still less than average, in the two other regions studied. They found 21.7 inches of water content in the central region, which amounts to 85 percent of the normal amount, and 23.1 inches of water content in the northern region, or 89 percent of normal for the beginning of March.
March 1 snow survey results here! https://t.co/Bihb7pmfEz pic.twitter.com/nn94vA1NmB
— CA – DWR (@CA_DWR) March 1, 2016
Snowpack levels spark concern
With mountain snowpack being the source of so much of California’s water, the lower-than-average levels are sparking concern that 2016 may not be the “drought-busting” year that many hoped for.
“Mother Nature is not living up to predictions by some that a ‘Godzilla’ El Niño would
produce much more precipitation than usual this winter. We need conservation as much as ever.” — DWR Director Mark Cowin in the [link url=”http://www.water.ca.gov/news/newsreleases/2016/030116d.pdf” title=”survey release”].
In an average year, mountain snowpack can account for upwards of 30 percent of the state’s overall water needs.
One of the most severe droughts on record
With the state of California in the midst of [link url=”http://ca.gov/drought/” title=”one of the most severe droughts on record”], the state will be looking for some late winter / early spring storms to make an impact.
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