The water in the California mountain snow layer is barely shy as spring begins, and a winter storm that reaches the Sierra Nevada should offer an impulse.
The snow layer throughout the state measured 90% of the average on Friday, just before the anticipated peak of April 1 before the sun begins to melt the snow faster than it can accumulate, sending water that flows to streams and streams as the storms decrease to spring, said Andy Reising, manager of the snow surveys of water resources and the water resources water.
“Ninety percent is really good.
The news occurs when more storms are expected to throw precipitation in northern California in early next week, which led officials to increase the snow survey to avoid traveling during dangerous conditions. It also occurs since almost all California deposits are above their historical capacity after two wet winters followed a punishing drought that forced severe cuts in the use of water in cities and farms.
The snow layer provides approximately one third of the water used every year in California, which is the home of 39 million people and cultivates a large part of the country’s fresh fruits and vegetables. The State has built a complex system of channels and dams to capture and store water in deposits during hot and dry months when it does not rain or snow.
While the northern and central parts of the state are at water, Reising warned that southern California, including Los Angeles, has received much less precipitation than usual. Most of the southern California is once again in moderate to extreme drought, according to the US sequía monitor. UU.
“We know that floods and droughts can occur at any time. It is California’s lifestyle to expect that,” Reising said.
At the Phillips station, officials recorded a depth of 39.5 inches snow (100 centimeters) and a 17 -inch water content (43 centimeters), which is 70% of the average location, he said.
The Trump administration has been very interested in the situation of California water, promising to ensure that farmers can take advantage of what they need a federal career. Water system That is executed in coordination with the State.
State water project allocations are currently in 40% of the requested supplies, similar to last year. The project provides water to 27 million people and 750,000 acres (303,514 hectares) of cultivation lands, and allocations vary considerably during the wet and dry years.
Jennifer Pierre, general manager of state water contractors, said he believes that California officials could have released more water this year and wants to see more agile decision making in response to conditions that change rapidly.
“We have this mismatch between hydrology and assignment, and what are the different physical and politics changes that must be done to address that,” Pierre said.
Peter Gleick, co -founder of the Pacific Institute, based in Oakland, said that the main deposits of the state are in good shape, but that California farmers always want more water than the environment can provide.
“We should never let a good year of water be complacent,” Gleick said. “We never have enough water to waste.”
