Unusually scarce precipitation last winter has left little snow on the mountains, endangering a key California water reserve.
According to a study from the University of Arizona, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is currently at a 500-year low. Bare ground in places usually covered in feet of ice led California Governor Jerry Brown to declare mandatory water restrictions in April.
Because "the state witnesses roughly 80 percent of its precipitation in the winter months [...] Winters that yield less snow mean there's even less water for the state to use during summer, as melting snow is supposed to restock the state's reservoirs and aqueducts."
"The university says its research is the first of its kind to compare the 2015 snowpack with levels across five centuries. This was accomplished by examining tree-ring data that showed annual winter precipitation in central California from 1405 to 2005."
Read the full story: Study says Sierra Nevada snowpack lowest in 500 years
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
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Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Maryland local governments examine if they should have more power to raise property taxes
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Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
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