Sierra snowpack up to 39% of average, last week it was at 7%

PHILLIPS STATION, CALIF. - In 2017, the water content on March 1 at Phillips Station was measured at 185 percent of normal. One year later it is a different story, but much better than just a week ago.

The water content of the snow measured at Phillips Station on March 5, 2018 is 39 percent of the historical average with the 41.1" snow at the measuring spot 14 miles west of Lake Tahoe containing a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 9.4".

The SWE is the amount of water that would come out of the snow if melted all at once.

"Its a much rosier, happier picture today," said Frank Gehrke of the Department of Water Resources (DWR). "But we still need about two more storms of same magnitude to get to average."

DWR was at Phillips Station on February 27, before the storms hit, and took a preliminary measurement of the snowpack and it was at seven percent of average.

"This is a very significant increase, not only at this location but state wide," said Gehrke as he led the media tour of his measurement.

On February 1, 2018, the snowpack he measured was at 14 percent of normal.

On average, the snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer. The greater the snowpack water content, the greater the likelihood California’s reservoirs will receive ample runoff as the snowpack melts to meet the state’s water demand in the summer and fall.