State experienced driest 3 months on record

DROUGHT UPDATE

The results from the April 1 snow survey by the California State Water Resources Control Board are sobering. Low snowpack levels emphasize the urgent need for Californians to save water amid the ongoing, severe drought.

Survey highlights include:

• A snow depth of 2.5 inches and only 1 inch of snow water content was recorded. That is 4 percent of the April 1 average at this location. The statewide snowpack is just 38 percent of average to date.

• Many of the state’s reservoirs are still at below-average levels, and California’s largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, is just 38 percent full. The statewide reservoir storage is at 48 percent of the system’s total capacity.

• April 1 is traditionally when snow water content peaks, yet this year, the

Key

Take-Aways

• Stressed by high temperatures and a record run of dry weather, the Sierra Nevada snowpack—source of 30 percent of the state’s water supply—has hit one of its lowest end-of-winter levels in generations.

• Automatic sensors spread across the Sierras showed snow levels were just 38 percent of normal.

• California’s three-year drought is growing more severe. DROUGHT

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Northern Sierra snow water content peaked in mid-January.

This month’s survey demonstrates the severe drought that California continues to endure.

Make Every Drop Count

Implementing changes in daily water use can make a big impact toward ensuring there is enough water supply to meet current and future needs. Here are several actions people can take to help:

• Plant water wise plants and add hardscaping elements to gardens, for example pavers, decomposed granite or bark, to create year-round spaces that eliminate the need to weed, mow, and irrigate regularly.

• Don’t water sidewalks and patios.

• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean outdoor areas and save up to six gallons of water every minute.

• Recycle indoor water for outdoor use. Place a bucket under the showerhead while you wait for the water to warm up, then use it to water your outdoor garden.

• Reduce your shower time to five minutes or less to save up to 12.5 gallons of water.

• Wash full loads of clothes and dishes and save up to 15-45 gallons of water per load.

—from the California State Water Control Board