WILLOWS ? Snow pack measurements taken at Anthony Peak on the Mendocino National Forest at the end of Feb. show that precipitation this winter remains below average.
The average snow pack measured at the end of the month was 56.1 inches, with water content measuring 18.1 inches. These measurements are 90- percent of average snow pack and 73.8 percent of average water content.
The historic average for this time of year is 61.8 inches of snow pack and 24.7 inches of water content.
“Since January”s measurements there has been an increase from the twentieth to the fortieth percentile, meaning that 40 percent of the 60 years measured had worse snow conditions at this time of year,” Forest Hydrologist Robin Mowery said. “So far, this year mimics the 1955, 1944 and 1945 water years. More recently, 1979 and 1980 were an inch above the current water year. This year is also close to the 2007 water year.”
For reference, 1991 was the record low with 6.6 inches of snow pack. The record high was in 1969 with 148.8 inches of snow pack.
Mendocino National Forest employees Tony Kanownik and Marcus Spivey took the snow measurements this month.
Snow pack and water content monitoring is an important tool in determining the coming year”s water supply. The data is used by hydrologists, hydro-electric power companies, the recreation industry and other organizations. More than 50 agencies and utilities, in coordination with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), visit hundreds of snow measurement courses in California”s mountains as part of the Cooperative Snow Surveys Program. For more information on California snow surveys, visit http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow.
Originally established in 1944, the Anthony Peak snow course provides data for precipitation draining into the Grindstone watershed into Stony Creek and the Black Butte Reservoir, ending in the Sacramento River.
Run-off from the Mendocino National Forest is critical in providing surface water and ground water for the surrounding communities. While 2008 was a wet winter, it was surrounded by dry years, which is contributing to the current reduced water levels.
