DWR staff perform the 3rd snow study of the season at Phillips Station on March 3, 2023.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today carried out the 3rd snow study of the season at Phillips Station. The manual study taped 116.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 41.5 inches, which is 177 percent of average for this area on March 3. The snow water comparable steps the quantity of water included in the snowpack and is a crucial element of DWR’s supply of water projection. DWR’s electronic readings from 130 snow sensing units positioned throughout the state suggest the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 44.7 inches, or 190 percent of average for this date.
“Thankfully the recent storms combined with the January atmospheric rivers have contributed to an above-average snowpack that will help fill some of the state’s reservoirs and maximize groundwater recharge efforts. But the benefits vary by region, and the Northern Sierra, home to the state’s largest reservoir Lake Shasta, is lagging behind the rest of the Sierra,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said. “It will also take more than one good year to begin recovery of the state’s groundwater basins.”
Although the statewide snowpack is presently simply behind the record snow year of 1982-83, the snowpack differs significantly by area. The Southern Sierra snowpack is presently 209 percent of its April 1 average and the Central Sierra is at 175 percent of its April 1 average. However, the crucial Northern Sierra, where the state’s biggest surface area water tanks lie, is at 136 percent of its April 1 average. With one month of the conventional wet season staying, DWR is supplying upgraded overflow projections to water supervisors and is carefully keeping an eye on spring overflow circumstances and river streams to make sure the most supply of water gain from this year’s snowpack while stabilizing the requirement for flood control.
“The recent storms over the past week broke a month-long dry spell in a dramatic way,” said DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit Manager Sean de Guzman. “We are hopeful that we will see more cold storms to add to our snowpack for the next month and help set up a long, slow melt period into spring.”
DWR will host a virtual media rundown through Zoom with DWR professionals today at 1:00 p.m. to broaden on the effects of the snowpack outcomes, discuss what the results imply for the state’s supply of water, and take media concerns. Credentialed media can sign up for the media rundown here.
To make sure supply of water supervisors have the most present projections of snowpack overflow, DWR is using the very best available innovation to gather the most precise snow measurements. DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit is using Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) studies throughout 12 of California’s significant snow-producing watersheds to gather information on the snowpack’s density, depth, reflectiveness, and other aspects down to a 3-meter resolution. These flights, which make use of LiDAR and imaging spectrometer innovation, supply DWR with more info on water material than ever previously, which is then fed into sophisticated physically based and spatially specific designs to create the most precise supply of water overflow projections possible. These projections are utilized to establish the Bulletin 120 for anticipated spring run-off to identify water allotment and stream flows for the advantage of the environment.
While winter season storms have actually assisted the snowpack and tanks, groundwater basins are much slower to recuperate. Many backwoods are still experiencing supply of water obstacles, specifically neighborhoods that count on groundwater materials which have actually been diminished due to extended dry spell. It will take more than a single wet year for groundwater levels to considerably enhance at a statewide scale. Drought effects likewise differ by area and dry spell healing will require to be assessed on a local scale and will depend upon regional supply of water conditions.
On February 13, Governor Newsom provided an Executive Order directing state firms to examine and supply suggestions on the state’s dry spell reaction actions by the end of April, consisting of the possibility of ending particular emergency situation arrangements that are no longer required, as soon as there is higher clearness about the hydrologic conditions this year.
Californians need to still continue to utilize water sensibly so that we can have a prospering economy, neighborhood, and environment. DWR motivates Californians to go to SaveOurWater.com for water conserving suggestions and info as more swings in between wet and dry conditions will continue in the future.
DWR performs 5 media-oriented snow studies at Phillips Station each winter season near the very first of every month, January through April and, if required, May. The next study is tentatively scheduled for April 3.
Additional Resources
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Contact:
Jason Ince, Information Officer, Public Affairs, Department of Water Resources
(916) 820-8138 | [email protected]
