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Snowpack numbers have officials optimistic, but one good snowpack can’t end drought yet

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 30, 2010 at 7:16 am

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“Meticulous measurements in the Sierra confirmed Friday what many skiers, driveway shovelers and road clearing crews already suspected – there is a whole heck of a lot of snow in the mountains.

The second of five monthly surveys by the California Department of Water Resources showed that the water content of the snow is 115 percent of average statewide. Last year at this time, it was just 61 percent of normal.

The recent spate of storms heaped the snow so high that California water officials are being forced to substitute their bold pronouncements about a fourth year of drought with soft murmurings about a lingering water shortage.

“It means we have a rosier outlook,” said David Rizzardo, the chief of snow surveys for the Department of Water Resources. “We have to use caution about where we are right now, but it’s looking better that we could come out of this and have an average year.” … “

Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.

From the San Jose Mercury News, DWR’s Susan Sims reminds us it’s too early to declare the drought over”

” … “We are still looking at the real possibility of a fourth dry year. Even if California is blessed with a healthy snowpack, we must learn to always conserve this finite resource so that we have enough water for homes, farms and businesses,” Sims said.

While major reservoirs’ water levels remain low, there’s room for optimism. Shasta is most bountiful — at 82 percent of normal for this time of year. Oroville came in at 50 percent and Folsom was 61 percent of normal.

Water managers realize that much more rain and snow are needed to bring reservoirs up to the average benchmark. They also remember that court-ordered environmental restrictions will still divert billions of gallons to fish and away from farms and cities. And there’s no guarantee the storm window won’t slam shut abruptly.

“We have a pretty big hole to fill after three years of dry weather,” said Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies. “We’re still only average, or just a little bit better.”

What happens in February and March will be important, said David Rizzardo, snow survey chief for the state Department of Water Services.

“What really matters is where we’re at April 1,” he said. … “

Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.

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January 30, 2010 · Filed Under Drought, Weather & Snowpack

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