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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Department of Water Resources conducted a manual snow survey on Wednesday, and despite the higher-than-average water content for the statewide snowpack, officials said snowfall during the remainder of the winter will largely determine whether California’s drought will be entrenched for a fifth year.
DWR Director Mark Cowin said the heavy snowfall so far during Water Year 2016 “has been a reasonable start, but another three or four months of surveys will indicate whether the snowpack’s runoff will be sufficient to replenish California’s reservoirs by this summer.”
Each water year begins on Oct. 1 and ends on the following Sept. 30.
DWR conducts five media-oriented snow surveys in the Sierra Nevada each winter – near the first of January, February, March, April and May – at the Phillips Station plot (elevation 6,800 feet) just off Highway 50 near Sierra-at-Tahoe Road 90 miles east of Sacramento.
Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, said more than four years of drought have left a water deficit around the state that may be difficult to overcome in just one winter season.
“Clearly, this is much better that it was last year at this time, but we haven’t had the full effect of the El Niño yet,” Gehrke said. “If we believe the forecasts, then El Niño is supposed 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 state’s largest six reservoirs currently hold between 22 percent (New Melones) and 53 percent (Don Pedro) of their historical averages in late December. Storage in Lake Shasta, California’s largest surface reservoir, is 51 percent of its December 30 average.
Wednesday’s manual survey 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 content, 136 percent of the January 1 average for that site.
More telling than a survey at a single location, however, are DWR’s electronic readings Wednesday from 99 stations scattered throughout the Sierra Nevada.
Measurements indicate the water content of the northern Sierra snowpack is 11 inches, 108 percent of the multi-decade average for the date.
The central and southern Sierra readings were 12.1 inches (116 percent of average) and 7 inches (86 percent) respectively.
Statewide, the snowpack held 10.2 inches of water equivalent, or 105 percent of the Dec. 30 average.
One year ago, the north, central, south and statewide readings respectively were 5.8 inches (57 percent of average), 4.7 inches (45 percent), 4.0 inches (48 percent) and 4.8 inches (50 percent).
In normal years, the snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer.
The greater the snowpack water content, the greater the likelihood California’s reservoirs will receive ample runoff as the snowpack melts to meet the state’s water demand in the summer and fall.
Despite snowpack readings that are higher than last year, the major water reservoirs are storing far less water this year than their late-December historical averages.
Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s (SWP) principal reservoir, now holds 1 million acre feet (MAF), 29 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity and 47 percent of its historical average on December 30. On Dec. 30 of last year, Oroville’s numbers were 1.3 MAF, which was 62 percent of its December 30 average.
Lake Shasta north of Redding and the federal Central Valley Project’s (CVP) largest reservoir now holds 1.4 MAF, 31 percent of its 4.55 million acre-foot capacity and 51 percent of its historical average. One year ago today, Shasta held 1.9 MAF, which was 41 percent of its total capacity and 66 percent of the December 30 average.
San Luis Reservoir, a critical south-of-Delta pool for both the SWP and CVP, reflects the same trend of lower reservoir storage this year. San Luis currently holds 20 percent of its 2 million AF capacity, 30 percent of normal for the date.
Caltrans will replace its current traffic data capturing equipment to better collect information and digital images on the State Highway System, thanks to a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The $400,000 Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) data grant will be used to update the department’s data collection program’s equipment and software, which help the department collect information along the State Highway System.
This data informs traffic safety investigations, asset management, maintenance mission safety planning, local development intergovernmental review and many other Caltrans functions.
The grant will help the department collect more than 200 MIRE specified data points. Geopositional equipment will be used to collect horizontal and vertical, curve and grade data that are a crucial element in traffic safety investigations.
Cameras will capture images to assist in traffic safety investigations, maintenance mission safety planning, access management and local development inter-governmental review.
This grant and the data it helps the department collect will improve efficiencies. For example, accurate horizontal and vertical, curve and grade data will aid traffic safety investigators in the task of assessing roadway design elements and provide the basis for future highway safety projects.
These highly trained professionals also use digital images to review a location from their desks which may eliminate the need for time consuming field visits that cause investigators to be physically exposed to highway traffic.
Using digital images for maintenance mission planning provides the ability to select safe locations to park Caltrans vehicles and establish project staging areas that minimize worker exposure to moving traffic.
“This grant allows us to procure the latest technology and continue to deliver top-notch research and results, so we can continue to improve safety for all who use the State Highway System,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “The new equipment will provide for a higher degree of accuracy and greater reliability.”
The collected data is required as a part of The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, the federal transportation legislation that was signed into law in 2012.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The man wanted in connection to a fatal Wednesday night shooting in Middletown has been taken into custody.
Sheriff Brian Martin identified the man alleged to have carried out the shooting as Javier Martinez.
Martin could not immediately confirm Martinez's age or place of residence.
Shortly before 10:20 p.m. radio reports indicated that Martinez went to the Clearlake Police Department and turned himself in to police.
Martinez was wanted for the fatal shooting of another man that was reported at around 8:30 p.m. in the area of Butts Canyon and Guenoc roads near Middletown, as Lake County News has reported.
The man who died was in a vehicle with a female subject who also was reported to have been injured, based on radio reports.
Martinez was reported to have fled the scene in a silver SUV.
From there, sheriff's deputies began to track Martinez, with radio reports indicating that they had been looking for him in Clearlake before he surrendered himself to police there.
Martin said he did not yet know a motive for the shooting.
The California Highway reported shortly before 9:45 p.m. that Butts Canyon Road was closed from Highway 29 to the Napa County line, around the shooting scene.
Additional information will be posted when it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Local law enforcement is searching for a suspect who is alleged to have fatally shot another man in the head near Middletown on Wednesday night.
Sheriff Brian Martin confirmed to Lake County News that his agency is investigating an apparent homicide.
The male suspect remained at large just before 10 p.m., but Martin was not prepared to release details about the person at that time.
“We're pursuing some leads and trying to track him down,” he said.
Shortly after 8:30 p.m. firefighters were dispatched to the area of Butts Canyon and Guenoc roads, just past Langtry Farms, on the report of a possible vehicle crash.
As units were en route to the scene fire dispatch reported that a male subject in the vehicle had a gunshot wound, based on radio reports.
At that point, dispatch indicated sheriff's deputies were being called, firefighters were to stage nearby and an air ambulance was requested.
Just before 9 p.m. radio reports indicated that the individual with a gunshot wound to the head had died.
A female subject in the vehicle also was reported to have suffered minor injuries, according to radio reports, although it was not clear if she had been shot or injured in some other manner.
Area law enforcement agencies were notified about the male shooting suspect, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP also reported that the road in the area where the shooting took place was shut down from Butts Canyon Road to the Napa County line.
Radio reports indicated the shooting suspect was driving a silver SUV with black wheels or rims, with no license plate number given.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – “Cache” has had a rough 2015.
The big dog, which Lake County Animal Care and Control said is a Leonberger mix, was found in the Jerusalem fire area by firefighters over the summer.
When he was first brought into the shelter, he had a severe skin condition and maggots burrowing into his flesh, staff reported.
He was adopted earlier this year but then returned due to an issue with a cat.
Cache is a large guy, and estimated to weigh 150 pounds, and is neutered.
He has a short black and tan coat that is growing back in thanks to his skin treatments.
Cache has big brown eyes, floppy ears and a rather laid-back, mellow demeanor. He's sweet and friendly, and takes treats gently.
The ideal home for him would not have cats, but would offer him a chance to hang out with people and be a couch potato.
He's in kennel No. 11, ID No. 3101. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.
Along with Cache there are many other dogs needing homes at the shelter, which is full as the year draws to a close.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the year draws to a close, home sales numbers are looking strong, according to the latest report from the Lake County Association of Realtors.
LCAOR reported November sales for single family residential properties showed stronger than expected results.
The number of sales was 86, which was a 10-percent increase over the 72 sales reported in October 2015 and a 56-percent increase over the 55 sales reported in November 2014.
The median sales price also climbed by 19 percent over October 2015 with the November median coming in at $252,250 compared to $211,250 for October.
The median sales price in November 2014 was $187,000.
“The percentage of cash only financed sales rose to 47.7 percent of sales,” stated 2016 LCAOR President Erin Woodward. “This was a jump from the 30 percent plus range we have been seeing over the last several months. Agents are continuing to report that some of the cash sales are a result of insurance payouts from the Valley fire and that some people are choosing to buy existing homes as opposed to rebuilding.”
Distressed sales, transactions where the property is sold for less than what was owed or properties that have foreclosed upon, made up only 4.65 percent of the transactions. This number has continued to decline since 2011 when the percentage was over 72 percent of the transactions for the entire year.
Inventory levels, the number of months it would take to sell all homes currently on the market given the rate of November sales, fell to four months. A “normal” inventory level is considered to be six months of inventory.
On a statewide basis the California Association of Realtors reported that existing, single-family home sales totaled 370,000 in November, down 8.4 percent from October 2015 and down 1.6 percent from November 2014.
The median sales price was $475,000, down slightly from $476,000 reported in October 2015, but up from $445,000 reported in November 2014.
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
Lake County – November 2015
Median price: $252,250
Median days to sell: 107
Units Sold: 86
Lake County – October 2015
Median price: $211,250
Median days to sell: 78
Units Sold: 72
Lake County – November 2014
Median price: $187,000
Median days to sell: 112
Units Sold: 55