[pct-l] SFGate: Sierra snowpack still below normal

[Jim Keener]

 FYI
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This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate.
The original article can be found on SFGate.com here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/28/MNSNOWSURVEY28.DTL
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Thursday, March 29, 2007 (SF Chronicle)
Sierra snowpack still below normal
Marisa Lagos, Chronicle Staff Writer


   (03-28) 13:07 PDT TRUCKEE -- The Sierra's snowpack remains well below
normal levels, state officials said today after conducting the fourth
survey of the season.
   The low snowpack doesn't mean bad news for water consumers yet, officials
said, because a wet 2006 filled the state's reservoirs, ensuring the
facilities are currently at or above normal levels, despite the dry
winter. But the lack of water could mean an early start to fire season
this year.
   The snowpack, an essential part of California's water supply, is now at 46
percent of what is considered to be average this time of year, according
to the state Department of Water Resources' Snow Survey. Officials had
hoped that a wet February would carry over into this month and increase
the snowpack, but the average actually dropped since the last survey on
March 2. At that time, the statewide average was 63 percent of what is
considered normal for the time of year.
   Snow Survey Chief Frank Gehrke said a storm on Monday, which added about 2
inches to the snowpack, helped -- but not by much.
   "Instead of seeing an increase of 5 or 6 inches in March, we lost 8 or 9
inches," Gehrke said. "That's a pretty bleak month."
   The snowpack is the state's largest water source for drinking and
irrigation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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