LOS ANGELES (AP) — State water authorities say California will likely face a critically dry year with much less runoff from the Sierra Nevada snowpack than normal and reservoirs that already are showing the impact of winter precipitation that is well below average.
The state Department of Water Resources' latest survey via a network of electronic stations found the water content of the overall snowpack was 61% of the March 2 average and 54 percent of the average on April 1, when it is historically at its maximum.
The Sierra snowpack normally supplies about 30% of California's water. Officials say that barring strong March and April storms water efficiency will be important.