The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the second snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. The manual survey recorded 22.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 8 inches, which is 46 percent of average for this location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. Statewide, the snowpack is 65 percent of average for this date.
On January 1, the statewide snowpack was 108 percent of average after a series of large storms in November and December boosted snow totals in the Northern Sierra, but significant regional differences kept the Central Sierra just below average and the Southern Sierra well below average. An excessively dry January has pushed the Northern Sierra back to near average, the Central Sierra to 58 percent of average, and has led the Southern Sierra Nevada to fall to under 50 percent of average.
“Despite a good start to the snowpack in the Northern Sierra in November and December, we can look back as recently as 2013 and 2021 to show how quickly conditions can change for the drier,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “California missed out on critical snow-building storms in January which has pushed the state down below average for this time of year. While we are excited to see some storm activity in the coming days, sustained periods of no precipitation can dry the state out very quickly. For each day it’s not snowing or raining, we are not keeping up with what we need.”
DWR’s electronic readings from 130 stations placed throughout the Sierra Nevada indicate that the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 10.5 inches, or 65 percent of average for this date. While forecasts show storm activity may pick up in February, California has seen several years in recent history with large early season snow totals, only for predominantly dry conditions to dominate the rest of the season.
California has effectively managed its reservoirs to keep storage above average for this time of year. Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is currently at 126 percent of average for this time of year. San Luis Reservoir, which is jointly operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, is at 101 percent of average for this time of year. Reservoirs in Southern California are also near or above their historical averages.
Measuring California’s snowpack is a key component that guides how California’s water supplies are managed. The data and measurements collected help inform water supply and snowmelt runoff forecasts, known as Bulletin 120, that help water managers plan for how much water will eventually reach state reservoirs in the spring and summer. This information is also a key piece in calculating State Water Project allocation forecasts each month.
Despite some recent rain, Southern California is still well below average for yearly precipitation. To prepare for any weather the region may see the rest of the season, DWR has deployed over 30 Watershed Protection Specialists to assist with the Watershed and Debris Flow Task Force organized by the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). Members of this task force, including DWR, CalOES, CAL FIRE and over 400 members of the California Conservation Corps, have been working around the clock to protect watersheds around burn scars, place materials to mitigate the risk of debris flows and ensure regional infrastructure including debris flow basins are prepared for incoming storm activity.
On average, California’s snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs. Its natural ability to store water is why California’s snowpack is often referred to as California’s “frozen reservoir.” Data from these snow surveys and forecasts produced by DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit are important factors in determining how DWR manages the state’s water resources.DWR conducts four or five media-oriented snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month, January through April and, if necessary, May. The next survey is tentatively scheduled for February 28.
