Rainy March couldn’t fix abnormally dry winter

CHICO » Despite a relatively wet March, California will still likely be seeing the effects of the dry winter in the coming months.

The California Department of Water Resources conducted its April snowpack survey Wednesday at the Philips Station near Tahoe where a team recorded 43.2 inches of snow with a water equivalent of 16.4 inches, said a press release issued Wednesday by the department.

This is only 66 percent of the average for the April survey, the release said.

“While today’s survey results show our snowpack is better off than it was just last month, they still underscore the need for widespread, wise use of our water supplies,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said in the release.

“California’s climate continues to show extreme unpredictability and February’s record dryness is a clear example of the extremes associated with climate change.”

DWR Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecast Section Chief Sean de Guzman said dramatic changes in the snowpack has been happening for about 10 years.

“Over the last decade, California’s snowpack has been alternating between extremely wet and extremely dry,” de Guzman said. “In the past 10

years, we’ve seen three of our smallest snowpacks on record, but we’ve also seen three of our largest snowpacks on record.”

In March, surveyors measured only 29 inches of snow with a snow water equivalent of 11.5 inches. This was about 47 percent of the average for March.

California relies on the snowpack for roughly 30 percent of its water.

According to the release, there are 130 sensors around California that measure snow water equivalency, which is a more accurate measurement than simply measuring the snowpack.

The snow melts later in the spring and into summer.