Some drought news

[Papasequoia]

Just saw this article online with some updates on this water year. This is from the SFGate and looks mainly at northern CA, but from SoCal data I was looking at 3-4 weeks ago I would guess that the reservoir levels are similar down here.

It's not a super soaker rain year, but it'll do
Carl Nolte, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Spring has returned to Northern California, but the rains that drenched the state over the weekend and brought a brisk snowstorm to the Sierra left California with a water glass that's half full.

The spring storm dropped nearly an inch of rain around the Bay Area and 3 feet of powdery snow in the mountains around Lake Tahoe - but the totals add up to an average rainy season, not enough to wipe out the effects of three years of drought. And the end of this year's wet season is in sight.

"It helps," said Frank Gehrke, head of the California Cooperative Snow Survey, "but it's getting pretty late in the season. It is not going to mean a big turnaround."

As California went into the winter season, hopes were high that an El Niño year would produce above-average rainfall and break the drought. Instead, for the most part, the state got average rain and snowfall.

The latest snow survey, taken last week, showed the snowpack at 106 percent of normal, just a bit over average. Rainfall in most places around the state is about the same - average or a little better.

The downpours and snowstorms that roared in on Easter "at best put a nice dent in the drought," said Mike Pechner, a private meteorologist. However, the wet season is pretty much at an end.

"The likelihood (of more storms) drops way off," Gehrke said. "The window of opportunity is pretty much closing."

The average precipitation in April for the northern Sierra, a key index in the state's water supply, is only 3.9 inches, half the total for a normal March.

The season produced mixed results. Shasta Reservoir, the biggest in the state, is at 85 percent of capacity, mostly due to heavy precipitation in the northern mountains. However, Oroville Reservoir on the Feather River, the principal reservoir of the California Water Project is only 48 percent full.

Bay Area water supplies look good. The Marin Municipal Water District reports that its seven main reservoirs are full. The Sonoma County Water Agency's Lake Sonoma is full and Lake Mendocino is at 98.7 percent of capacity.

In the Santa Clara Valley, Guadalupe Reservoir is 80 percent full, and Lexington Reservoir is at 72 percent of capacity.

The National Weather Service is forecasting fair weather for the Bay Area for the rest of the week. The long-range forecast calls for a chance of more snow in the Sierra next weekend.

[briansII]

Thanks. I guess this is good news. I was hoping for more of the white stuff this year, but i'll take what we got.

"It helps," said Frank Gehrke, head of the California Cooperative Snow Survey, "but it's getting pretty late in the season. It is not going to mean a big turnaround."

Some useless trivia. What is the name of the inventor of Gink(the most popular floatant). George Gehrke.

briansII

[Trootfisher]

Just saw this article online with some updates on this water year. This is from the SFGate and looks mainly at northern CA, but from SoCal data I was looking at 3-4 weeks ago I would guess that the reservoir levels are similar down here.
.

Yeah, the reservoir levels in SoCal are not necessarily tied to rainfall. They are storage for water transferred from the SWP or the Colorado R.

I'm happy it was at least an average to slightly above average rainfall year locally for our creeks and fish.

[Flyjunkie]

Good news, yes... If we could get a number of average or above Winters for the next couple of Years, the situation will improve greatly... But this is Sweet and I'll certainly take it...

[planettrout]

A slightly different view from Ken Clark:

http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/clark/ ... -ended.asp

PT/TB

[Bakoguy]

One of the very few good things the Bakersfield Californian newspaper does is to report on the weather page a summary of various rainfall totals for the state. Basically the article is correct. The far Northern part of the state which contains the various large reservoirs (Shasta and Oroville) is actaually just catching up to a season normal. Redding and Eureka have been far behind due to the storms tracking further South than normal. San Francisco and Sacramento just caught up to season normals. The State to the South is generally just at or above season normals. The key for water release is Oroville which is way behind seasonal capacity. Shasta is very full especially compared to the last few years but still is only ~1% greater than season normal. Most of Southern Oregon has been very dry this year.

[lucfish]

Dr: They always will have an excuse to raise water rates. Either we use too much water and get penalized for that based on their tier system, or we use too little water and they don't have enough income to cover their pumping costs or labor. I was trying to be a good citizen and ruduced my water consumption 50% last year mostly from reducing watering times outside. (No lawn just shrubery) So what happens, I get a letter from the city that I have too many bare spots and have to fill them up with some kind of ground cover. I'm going to do it(can't fight city hall) but it's going to cost me around $1,000.00 +- and now I'm going to have to water more to not kill the new shubs. It's a real *.

[Trootfisher]

Dr. you know that 90% of San Diego water is imported, right?

[Flyjunkie]

Dr: They always will have an excuse to raise water rates. Either we use too much water and get penalized for that based on their tier system, or we use too little water and they don't have enough income to cover their pumping costs or labor. I was trying to be a good citizen and ruduced my water consumption 50% last year mostly from reducing watering times outside. (No lawn just shrubery) So what happens, I get a letter from the city that I have too many bare spots and have to fill them up with some kind of ground cover. I'm going to do it(can't fight city hall) but it's going to cost me around $1,000.00 +- and now I'm going to have to water more to not kill the new shubs. It's a real *.

Spray paint the bare spots with green Paint... Bare spots are covered up, and you'll not have to water the Painted spots to keep them green, just some touch ups here & there.....

[lucfish]

Flyjunkie: I wish it was that simple. This city ,when it comes to outdoor apperances, is is a son of a gun. There are certain requirements that they just won't deviate from. I could put decortive rock but I'm going with bark for now, along with the added shrubs. I don't have it in me to fight it. It's the price you pay for living here. Come on rain!!!!