January rains bring dramatic increase in California snow pack

Friday, Jan. 28, 2000 | 2:24 a.m.

"We've come a long way since Jan. 4, and everyone who's been in or near the Sierra knows that," said Jeff Cohen, spokesman for the state Water Resources Department.

The snowpack, which supplies about 40 percent of California's drinking and farm water, for the central and northern Sierra was reported at 75 percent of normal for this time of year. On Jan. 4, it was less than 22 percent of normal, and state and federal water officials suggested that the water outlook for the state was uncertain at best.

The state's reservoirs were mostly full or nearly full, but authorities were concerned the state could be entering a prolonged dry cycle.

But in January, a series of squalls dumped several inches of rain across the state.

Cohen said Friday's survey, conducted at several points in the Sierra Nevada high country, showed snow levels "ranging from a foot of water to a foot-and-a-half of water. On January 4, we had in some cases less than two inches of water."

"We can say we're back on track to a near-normal water year," Cohen added.

Much of the precipitation fell during the past week, bringing totals in some areas to nearly 94 percent of normal.

The Sierra snowpack, measured every month during the wet season through April 1, generally provides about 14 million acre-feet of water annually. An acre-foot is enough water to handle the needs of a family of four for a year.

It offers an important indicator of the state's water health because the water from melting snow flows to lakes and reservoirs during the spring and summer when there is little rain.

Until the January rains, California was experiencing its seventh-driest December since officials began keeping records 80 years ago.