Officials issue surprising update about critical issue with water supply: 'Our luck could run out'
After a rocky start to the water year, California's late-season storms have delivered a much-needed boost to both snowpack and water reservoirs — and it's a welcome surprise for state water officials
According to The Sacramento Bee, snow survey manager Andy Reising summed up the final manual snow survey of the season with cautious optimism: "While it's positive news today, we know that our luck could run out and we could fall into a drought any time."
The statewide snowpack was sitting at 90% of the April 1 average, thanks to a handful of cold storms in February and March that flipped the script after a bleak start. For example, on January 2, snowpack was just 28% of what is considered normal for that time of year.
"We've had back in 2015, 5% of the annual snowpack on April 1. So we're at 90% ... I'm feeling generally positive, especially (since) earlier in the season there were some indications that maybe this would be a drier year," Reising said, per the Bee.
The good news didn't stop there. Those storms also gave a much-needed boost to reservoir levels, which provide water to tens of millions of Californians and hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland.
Lake Oroville, the state's second-largest reservoir, hit 87% of capacity. That's also a whopping 121% of its historical average for early April. San Luis Reservoir was at 89%, and Shasta Lake, the state's largest, was holding steady at 87% of capacity and 111% of average.
While water managers were cautious, this turnaround was good news for California residents. For communities across the state, full reservoirs mean more reliable water access for homes, farms, and local businesses — and a lower risk of water restrictions heading into summer.
It was also good news for the environment. Healthy snowpack and steady water flows help protect fish like salmon that rely on cold, clean water to spawn. These also help ease pressure on groundwater and support ecosystems that have struggled through years of drought.
Still, Reising pointed out that with the increase in extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, these strong measurements might not last. "It's the California way," Reising added.
The state is using these findings to push for more long-term water supply solutions, including improved infrastructure.
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DWR officials said that if the proposed Delta Conveyance Project had already been built, it could have captured 750,000 acre-feet of water this winter — enough to raise allocations by another 20%.
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