Light Snowpack This Year

The final Sierra Nevada snowpack survey was carried out yesterday by the California Department of Water Resources.

Water officials say the snowpack was only 52% of average for the date. DWR Director Mark Cowin states, “With most of the wet season behind us, this is more gloomy news for our summer water supply.” A wet November and December helped California reach 134% of average by the first of the year, but the state then had a record dry January and February.

The Northern Sierra is 55% of normal, the Central is 59%, and the Southern is 40%. The light snowpack will notably hit Central Valley farmers hard. The DWR has decreased its water delivery estimate from 40% to 35% of requested amounts from the State Water Project.