American River Wildlife News
Lean snowpack could impact rafting
Sun 08 Apr 2007 08:47:21 AM PDT - Rafting
The water content in the Sierra snowpack is at its lowest level in nearly two decades, leading to the concern of a possible shortened season for whitewater rafters and other water-sports enthusiasts.
The latest measurements were taken last week near South Lake Tahoe during the fourth snow survey of the season by the state Department of Water Resources. The survey is considered the most important because state hydrologists use it to predict water supplies and deliveries for the summer months.
The water content in the snowpack along the 400-mile-long range averaged 46 percent of normal - the lowest level since 1990, when it was 40 percent of normal.
"If you start putting dry winters together, you deplete the reservoirs," department spokesman Don Strickland said. "We're hoping we don't run into that."
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District controls the flow of water from dams into the Middle Fork and South Fork of the American River.
Read the story at The Auburn Journal.
The water content in the snowpack along the 400-mile-long range averaged 46 percent of normal - the lowest level since 1990, when it was 40 percent of normal.
"If you start putting dry winters together, you deplete the reservoirs," department spokesman Don Strickland said. "We're hoping we don't run into that."
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District controls the flow of water from dams into the Middle Fork and South Fork of the American River.
Read the story at The Auburn Journal.