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January 8, 2016 CapitalPress.com 11 California Subscribe to our weekly California email newsletter at CapitalPress.com/newsletters %LJVQRZSDFNPD\QRWEHHQRXJK\HWWR¿OOUHVHUYRLUV California By TIM HEARDEN Capital Press SACRAMENTO — Cali- fornia’s impressive early-win- ter snowpack may not be HQRXJK WR ¿OO UHVHUYRLUV WKLV summer if warmer rains or temperatures come along and wipe out the gains, experts say. So far, many of the storms that have rolled into Califor- nia this fall and early winter have been fed by a northern jet stream, bringing cold tempera- tures down from Canada and producing impressive levels of snow. Even this week’s El Ni- no-driven storms were expect- ed to bring snow levels as low as 3,500 feet, according to the National Weather Service. But if storms warm up and only drop snow above 7,000 feet, the snowpack could still be in long-term trouble. “If it’s 5,000 feet, that’s still safe” for maintaining healthy snowpack levels, said Michelle Mead, a National Weather Service warning co- ordinator in Sacramento. “It’s really going to be individual storm dependent.” This week’s active system Courtesy of Calif. Dept. of Water Resources Frank Gehrke, right, chief snow surveyor for the California Department of Water Resources, and DWR VXUYH\RU-RKQ.LQJFRQGXFWWKHVHDVRQ¶V¿UVWPDQXDOVQRZVXUYH\'HFDWDPRXQWDLQVWDWLRQ miles east of Sacramento. So far, California’s snow water content is above normal for this time of year. comes after state snow surveys chief Frank Gerhke and others FRQGXFWHG WKH VHDVRQ¶V ¿UVW manual snow survey of the season Dec. 30 at a mountain station about 90 miles east of Sacramento. Gehrke found a snow depth of 54.7 inches — 16 inches more than the average depth measured there since 1965 — and 16.3 inches of water con- tent, 138 percent of the Jan. 1 average for the site, according to the state Department of Wa- ter Resources. But as of Jan. 5, Califor- nia’s statewide snow water content was 97 percent of nor- mal for the date, down from 105 percent of normal on Dec. 30, according to the DWR’s Cali- fornia Data Exchange Center. “Clearly, this is much better than it was last year at this time, but we haven’t had the full ef- fect of the El Nino yet,” Gehrke told reporters after conducting his survey. “If we believe the forecasts, then El Nino is sup- posed to kick in as we move through the rest of the winter. That will be critical when it comes to looking at reservoir storage.” The heavy snowfall so far this winter “has been a reason- able start, but another three or four months of surveys will in- dicate whether the snowpack’s UXQRII ZLOO EH VXI¿FLHQW WR UH- plenish California’s reservoirs by the summer,” DWR director Mark Cowin said in a state- ment. In any case, more than four years of drought have left a wa- WHUGH¿FLWDURXQGWKHVWDWHWKDW PD\EHGLI¿FXOWWRRYHUFRPHLQ just one winter season, Gehrke said. One or two warm storms wouldn’t be enough to wipe out the snowpack, Mead said. The snow acts as a sponge and ab- sorbs water that falls as rain un- til it’s saturated, then it begins to melt. “We do have a pretty good snowpack up there now,” she said. “It’s still at or just above average.” But warmer rainfall and temperatures typically start to melt the snow in the spring, which keeps the reservoirs ÀXVK ZLWK ZDWHU LQ WKH VXP- mer months. If the snow melts earlier than normal, there may not be enough water left over this summer. “With an El Nino year, we can’t for sure say when that will happen,” Mead said, re- ferring to snow melt. Citrus growers dodge freezes, proceed with abundant harvest By TIM HEARDEN Capital Press SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Growers of navel oranges and other citrus fruit dodged several hard freezes in December and say they’re still seeing a sweet and abundant crop. The Sultana, Calif.-based Twin Girls Farms encountered the cold in its orchards in Fres- no and Tulare counties in recent weeks, and it’s too soon to tell if there was any damage, company salesman Robert Serna said. But overall, the season has been going well, said Serna, who was selling organic navel orang- es at a booth at a farmers’ market here. “With our oranges, the sugar levels came on early and every- thing’s been nice,” he said. “It’s been good.” At Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay area, the winter season’s citrus fruit appears un- scathed by the cold winter tem- peratures, representatives said. “Our citrus seems to be far- ing pretty well,” sales associate Trinity Murchie said. “We’ve had trouble with (freezes) in the past, but it’s doing pretty well this year.” In the San Joaquin Val- ley, growers took precautions against anticipated sub-freezing temperatures on Dec. 15, but a decent cloud cover in most cit- rus-producing areas kept over- night temperatures in the upper 20s or low 30s, the Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual report- ed. Another hard freeze was expected just after Christmas, prompting growers to run wind machines and water, but tem- peratures ranged in the upper 20s and lower 30s again, the trade organization noted. Growers will typically start running wind machines on Man- darin varieties when tempera- tures fall to freezing, while more cold-tolerant orange and lemon varieties can withstand tempera- tures as low as 28 degrees, Cit- rus Mutual explained in a news release. Tim Hearden/Capital Press Robert Serna (right) of Twin Girls Farms in Sultana, Calif., sells organic navel oranges to a customer Dec. 30 at a farmers’ market in Santa Cruz, Calif. Citrus growers dodged several hard freezes in December. misses mark for saving water, again By SCOTT SMITH Associated Press FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Residents of drought-weary California in November fell short of hitting a 25 percent water conservation mandate for a second month running, state RI¿FLDOVVD\ The monthly tally comes as a series of much-anticipated El Nino storms line up, expecting to drench the state for several days and boost the snowpack. Felicia Marcus, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, said California remains on course to beat its long-term goal through February. Marcus wouldn’t reveal ahead of Tues- day’s formal announcement exactly how much the state fell short of its target. The numbers, however, re- veal considerable savings over past years, said Marcus, adding that residents understand that it is too early to declare an end to a drought already spanning four years. “Folks are continuing to be thoughtful about water use in the face of the El Nino,” said Marcus, adding that she antic- ipated less saving during the winter months. “It’s a smaller percentage, but it’s still pretty good.” Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statewide order beginning in June to conserve water by 25 percent compared to the same period in 2013, the year before he declared a drought emergen- cy. &RQVHUYDWLRQHIIRUWV¿UVWKLW a setback in October, when Cal- ifornians missed the mandated target, posting 22 percent in savings. Regulators said at the time that since enforcement be- gan, the state cut water use by a combined 27 percent, leaving some wiggle room. 2-2/#4N
