Drought Conditions Continue Despite Recent Storms

Sacramento, CA — Despite the recent storms that have dumped huge amounts of snow in the Sierra Nevada the director of the Department of Water Resources reminded Californians today that the state remains in dire need of additional water.

Speaking on a conference call from Sacramento Lester Snow cautioned the citizenry that the state’s major reservoirs are currently at 55 percent of capacity as compared to 61 percent at this time a year ago. In addition last year’s water content was at 84 percent of normal while this year’s figure stands at 76 percent of normal.

From D.W.R. Senior Meteorologist Elissa Lynn, "A number of productive storms between February 12 and March 5 boosted rainfall and snowpack totals and levels rose in major northern California reservoirs. However one wet month can not overcome back to back dry years in 2007 and 2008, so we are still in a drought."

Written by bill.johnson@mlode.com