Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
  • Environment
  • State Government
  •  

Extreme And Severe Drought Decline In California

  •  Ed Joyce 
Thursday, March 17, 2016 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
California Department of Water Resources / Courtesy

The U.S. Drought Monitor says storms in March have helped ease extreme and severe drought in parts of California. But many state reservoirs remain below-average and groundwater has not recovered after 4-to-5 years of drought.

California Department of Water Resources / Courtesy

The 'Miracle March' storms have reduced the severity of drought in California. The most significant is a 10 percent decline in severe drought. 

But reservoir levels did not improve in many parts of the state and groundwater has not recovered after years of drought. 

"A westerly flow of Pacific weather systems pummeled the west coast this week, bringing much-needed rain and snow to northern California and the Pacific Northwest and improving the drought situation," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor report released March 17.

Last week, the report said California was "primed for drought improvement." 

And, this week's report (which has a cutoff of Tuesday at 5 a.m. PDT) reflects that improvement, the first significant reductions in the percentage of drought this winter. 

031716 DROMON-CA 20160315_CA_trd

The Drought Monitor drought intensity levels are Abnormally Dry, Moderate, Severe, Extreme and Exceptional. 

In California, 99 percent remains abnormally dry, no change from the previous week. 

But moderate drought was reduced from 97 to 93 percent, and severe drought, 83 percent last week, is now at 73 percent, a 10 percent improvement. 

Other levels of drought were also reduced: Extreme drought covers 56 percent of California and exceptional drought is now at 34 percent.

031716 Reservoirs

"The precipitation fell as rain at the lower elevations, with 1 to 2 feet of new snow measured at the higher-elevation SNOTEL sites in the Cascades and parts of the Sierra Nevada," says the weekly update. "Mountain snowpack was near to above average at most of the high elevation sites across the Far West."

The report cautioned that the average-to-above-average rain and snow won’t erase years of drought in California.

"While it improved mountain snowpack and reservoir levels, significant precipitation deficits remained across California from the state’s 4 to 5 year drought," the update notes.

And, while "drought intensity reductions were seen in northern to central California and along the coast, and reservoir levels were restored to average for this date," other reservoirs are below average.

"But most of the other California Department of Water Resources reservoirs were still below-average, including Trinity Lake in the north (at 61% of average as of March 17)," according to the report.

"The surface soils were saturated due to the recent rains, but the deeper groundwater levels had not recovered. Wells were still going dry in Tuolumne County and deficits continued in groundwater and reservoir levels supplying areas such as San Joaquin County." 

031716 Snowpack Levels

The DWR March 16 statistics showed mountain snowpack snow water content at 101 percent of the April 1 average in the Northern Sierra, 92 percent in the Central Sierra, and 77 percent in the Southern Sierra.

"With a near to below-normal mountain snowpack, streamflow is expected to be near to below normal during this summer at current projections," according to the update.

031716 DROMON-West 20160315_west _trd

In Nevada, exceptional drought was removed from western Nevada east of Lake Tahoe in Washoe, Storey, Carson City, Lyon, and Douglas Counties.

"Even though this area was in a rain shadow and didn't benefit much from the systems of the last 2 weeks as did California, the area shows up as wet at 6-24 months, is benefiting from the above-normal SWE in the Sierra Nevada to the west, and has improved water supply along the Truckee and Carson rivers," the Drought Monitor reports. 

The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (released March 17) shows "drought persisting" in southern, central and much of northern California and western Nevada, with some "drought removal likely" in extreme northwest California.

031716 DROMON-Seasonal Sdohomeweb

 


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about drought

  • State Of Drought

    Reservoir levels are at historic lows, municipalities are ordering mandatory conservation and farmers are bracing for water shortages. CapRadio is following how Californians are being impacted by the drought.

    Related Stories

  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    California April Water Conservation Rate Is 26 Percent

    Monday, June 6, 2016
    The California State Water Resources Control Board says the statewide water conservation rate in April was 26.1 percent.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Drought Conditions Improve In California, Nevada

    Thursday, May 19, 2016
    The U.S. Drought Center says the past week brought "widespread improvements" in drought conditions in northern California and Nevada.
  • Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows / Courtesy

    Extreme Drought ‘Entrenched’ In Most Of California

    Thursday, March 24, 2016
    The California drought improved slightly in northern California, but long-term severe to extreme drought remains "entrenched" in central and southern California.
  • UC Regents / Courtesy

    Climate Change, 'Chill Hours' And California Crops

    Wednesday, March 23, 2016
    A study by UC Davis agricultural economists looked at how climate change is affecting what crops are planted in California. Warming winters are expected to alter what farmers plant.
  • NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center / Courtesy

    Fishery Managers Consider Closing Salmon Seasons Off West Coast

    Tuesday, March 15, 2016
    Regional fishery managers are considering closing or restricting all salmon fishing off the U.S. West Coast.
  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    Some Reservoirs Rise, Sierra Snowpack Nears Normal

    Monday, March 14, 2016
    Storms have pushed the Sierra Nevada snowpack closer to average and some California reservoirs are above historical average. But reservoirs and rainfall in Southern California are not doing as well.
  • California Department of Water Resources / Courtesy

    Reservoirs Filling, But Snowpack Worries In California

    Thursday, March 10, 2016
    Some reservoirs are filling in California, but melting Sierra Nevada snowpack is a worry. After early March storms, the U.S. Drought Monitor says the state is now primed for drought improvement.
  • California Department of Water Resources / Courtesy

    'Miracle March' Storms Bring More Snow, Rain To California

    Wednesday, March 9, 2016
    A series of strong weather systems are forecast to bring heavy rain, snow and potential flooding to about 19 counties in northern California.
  • Capital Public Radio / File

    Storms Bring Rain And Snow To California

    Friday, March 4, 2016
    The series of storms in California over the next week could cause federal water managers to release water from the Folsom Reservoir to maintain flood space requirements.
  • Pacific Institute / Courtesy

    Study: California Drought Means Less Hydropower, More CO2 Pollution

    Tuesday, February 9, 2016
    A new study says California's four-year drought has reduced hydroelectricity generation, resulting in higher electricity costs to ratepayers and increased greenhouse gas pollution.
  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    El Niño 'Takes A Break'

    Friday, February 5, 2016
    January brought above-average rainfall and snow to much of California, partly due to El Niño. But forecasters say the ocean warming condition is "taking a break" for the next week or longer.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    California Drought Improves; 2015 Warmest Year On Record

    Thursday, January 21, 2016
    Frequent storms have brought more improvement in drought conditions in California over the past week, with snowpack conditions above normal.
  • Ed Joyce / Capital Public Radio

    El Niño Benefits Northern California In January

    Tuesday, January 19, 2016
    January storms in northern California are partly the result of El Niño along with a shift in the southern jet stream.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    California Drought: Ski Areas Opening, Rain, Snow A Good Start

    Tuesday, November 10, 2015
    With many Sierra ski resorts opening early and the third storm system in as many weeks on the way to California, November is starting to look more "typical" after four years of drought.
  • Al Gibes / Capital Public Radio

    El Niño And California’s Historic Drought

    Thursday, September 3, 2015
    There were no changes in the intensity of drought in California over the past week and El Niño is not expected to end the state's historic drought.
  • Rich Pedroncelli / AP

    Climate Change Meets Drought In California

    Thursday, July 16, 2015
    Drought, combined with the effects of climate change, may likely mean more water restrictions in California.
  • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory / AP

    California Drought Persists; 2014 Warmest Year On Record

    Thursday, January 8, 2015
    Federal meteorologists said Thursday that California and Nevada had their warmest year on record in 2014. Meanwhile, the latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows the drought persists in both states and in the U.S. southwest.

 agriculturedroughtclimate changeU.S. Drought Monitorwater conservationCalifornia Department of Water ResourcesEl NiñoDrought2016

Ed Joyce

Former All Things Considered Anchor & Reporter

Ed Joyce is a former reporter and All Things Considered news anchor at Capital Public Radio. Ed is a veteran journalist with experience in a variety of news positions across all media platforms, including radio, television, web and print.   Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Environment Stories

U.S. Forest Service

Federal government announces $930M investment in high-risk areas impacted by wildfires

January 20, 2023

Kristin Lam / CapRadio

Disaster recovery center connects Sacramento-area winter storm victims to help

January 26, 2023

AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File

Growers brace to give up some Colorado River water

January 22, 2023

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: Pyongyang under lockdown for respiratory disease

Behind The I-80 Castle: A Drag-Racing, Beauty School Mogul’s Dream House

Cal State contends with 'unprecedented' enrollment declines

California allocates $20M toward abortion clinics’ physical, digital security

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: Pyongyang under lockdown for respiratory disease

Behind The I-80 Castle: A Drag-Racing, Beauty School Mogul’s Dream House

Cal State contends with 'unprecedented' enrollment declines

California allocates $20M toward abortion clinics’ physical, digital security

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.