CA Snowpack Very Low, Dry Year Ahead

Taylor Hillman Cattle, Citrus, Cotton, Environment, Field & Row Crops, Forage Crops, General, Specialty Crops, Tree, nut & vine crops, Water

canal
It was more bad news, as the state measured the snowpack level. Sabrina Hill reports.
Click to open or download audio report.

The California snowpack is at only 17 percent of normal according to the latest readings. In some areas, there was no snow at all.

For what is called the “wet season”, the state has had one of its driest on record. It all comes after an especially dry 2012. The Department of Water Resources is now projecting water deliveries of only 35 percent to 29 water agencies around the state.

The federal water project says the Lake Shasta reservoir looks better. That reservoir, which mainly helps provide water to growers in Central California, is at nearly 85 percent.

Water deliveries will continue to be limited this year. On top of the dry weather, water is held back in some areas to protect the population of Delta Smelt.

Meanwhile, the back-to-back dry years could cause drought conditions in some of the state’s farming areas.