NID News Release

February 1, 2010

Contact: Sue Sindt (530)273-6185 Or Dave Carter (530)265-NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GRASS VALLEY – Stormy conditions through much of January have boosted snowpack water content on local mountain watershed to 106 percent of average for this time of year. In the official Feb. 1 snow survey (conducted Jan. 28-29), Nevada Irrigation District snow surveyors measured snowpack depth and water content on six mountain snow courses at elevations of 4,850 feet to 7,800 feet. Average water content for five upper division courses was measured at 22.9 inches, which equals 106 percent of the 21.5-inch Feb. 1 average. “We’re off to a much better start than we were at this time last year when we were at 58 percent of average,” said NID Operations Supervisor Sue Sindt. “Having near average snowpack and water storage levels puts us in a fairly comfortable position for this time of year.”

The Feb. 1 snow surveys showed NID’s highest course, Webber Peak, at 7,800 feet, had 74.1 inches of snow with a water content of 23.2 inches. The English Mountain snow course (7,100 ft.) had 89.4 inches of snow with a water content of 28.9 inches. Webber Lake (7,000ft.) had 68.9 inches of snow with a water content of 20.6 inches. Findley Peak (6,500 ft.) had a snowpack of 77.9 inches and a 23.1-inch water content. Bowman Reservoir (5,650 ft.) had 60.9 inches of snow with a water content of 18.8 inches. The sixth snow course, Chalk Bluff, at 4,850 feet on the Deer Creek watershed, had a 36.1-inch snowpack with a 10.6-inch water content (The Chalk Bluff snow course is not included in the five-course average). Annual precipitation at NID’s Bowman Reservoir (elev. 5,650 ft.) reached 29.52 inches as of Jan. 29, which equals 80 percent of the Feb. 1 average. January precipitation was measured at 12.27 inches, or 99 percent of the January average.

As of Jan. 29, NID water storage stood at 153,300 acre-feet, which equals 61 percent of capacity and 94 percent of average for the date. A member of the California Cooperative Snow Survey, NID conducts three official snow surveys each year, in February, March and April. Results of the snow surveys are used to predict water availability locally and statewide.

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