Sierra snowpack holding 130% more water than average

Recent heavy rains and snow have added much needed water to the Sierra Nevada snowpack, bringing the snow water equivalent at Phillips Station to 25.4 inches, 130 percent of the February 1 average.

Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, led the monthly media-oriented manual snow survey near Sierra-at-Tahoe on Wednesday, leading the group to the measuring location which recorded a snow depth of 76.2 inches.

Last year at this time, Gehrke measured just 2.5 inches of water content in the 7 inches of snow, 36% of average. February of 2014 was even lower with just 1.5 inches of water content in the 12.5 inches of snow which was a the lowest since measurements have been taken starting in 1948. The 2014 measurement was just 12 percent of average.

Both the depth and water content at Phillips today were the highest since 2005, when a depth of 77.1 inches and water content of 29.9 inches were recorded.

Rainfall and the Sierra Nevada snowpack’s water content are both markedly improved
this water year, and storage in the state’s major reservoirs also has increased
significantly since January 1. Rainfall in the three regions tracked continuously by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) was 123 percent of the historical average between October 1 and January 31.

While precipitation this water year is improved over last year, water officials are not saying California’s long drought is over. Most of the state’s major reservoirs still hold much less than their historical averages for early February. Californians are encouraged to continue their water conservation.

For a list of all water content and snow measurements on February 1 each year since 1948, visit this site.