The latest measurement in the Sierra shows the snowpack is slightly above average. But it's unlikely enough snow will fall in the spring to make up for last year's below-average season. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce tells us that means water supplies will get even tighter this year.
Elissa Lynn is the senior meteorologist with the California Department of Water Resources. She says despite the above average snowpack, the state is not out of the hole in terms of future water supply.
Lynn: We're projecting the end of this water year to probably be end about 77 percent of normal. Where at the end of last year we ended at about 50 percent of normal. And as you may know, a lot of the reservoirs are sitting at about half of their capacity right now. So it would have taken a really incredible winter and spring season this year to refill that and make up for last year. But at least right now we're running normal for this year.
Less supply from Mother Nature is one problem. John Liarakos with the San Diego County Water Authority says another threat to supply is restrictions on water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to protect an endangered fish.
Liarakos: The deficits that we face now are going to take more than even one good wet year to come back to normal. So it's more critical than ever that people recognize that the more water we save now, the more we keep in storage, the more likely it is that we're not going to have to go to some type of mandatory restrictions.
A recent state analysis says the Delta pumping restrictions combined with the potential effects of climate change, could reduce future water project deliveries by up to 20 percent some years. Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
