The fourth snow survey conducted by the Department of Water Resources at the Phillips Station snow course on Thursday showed that the snowpack is way below average.
The manual survey showed 49.5 inches in snow depth and snow water equivalent, or how much water is contained in the snowpack showed 21 inches. These measurements are 83% average for that location, but that’s not the trend for the rest of California and Nevada.
The electronic snow survey stations showed that overall in California the snow water equivalent is 16.5 inches, which is 59% of average.
“With below average precipitation statewide, California’s reservoirs continue to show the impacts due to dry conditions,” said Sean DeGuzman, chief of DWR’s snow surveys and water supply forecasting section who conducted the survey.