UC Berkeley Snow Lab welcomes new storm with California's below-average snowpack
SODA SPRINGS -- There hasn't been as much snow in the Sierra to date compared to last year. However, a second Sierra storm within a week is being welcomed by scientists at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.
"It's very snowy right now – very heavy snowfall rates coming down," Andrew Schwartz, lead scientist and manager of the lab, said Tuesday. "This one is looking like it could be a dent. [It's] not going to be a huge dent in the low snow conditions, but if we can have several other storms like it looks like we might, then it should end up helping at least a little bit."
For context, this time a year ago, the snowpack measured in at 185% of average. This means anything that falls this year helps.
"It wasn't necessarily surprising but it still is a little bit concerning. But we still have time to recover from that," Schwartz said of the below-average snowpack so far this year.
The size of California's snowpack determines the water flow into the state's rivers, streams and reservoirs in the spring and the water available for agriculture and homes. Predicting runoff is uncertain, which is why new tools for more accuracy are critical.
Advances for the future get tested at the lab, like low-cost 3-D printed snow depth sensors, prototypes created for water managers in developing countries, and new instruments for the state's Department of Water Resources that measure how snow will turn into water.
New in the last year is funding to hire more employees who are all working on what any amount of snow means for the state's water supply.
Climate change puts the lab's work in the spotlight. Schwartz made a push to market their work to get that funding, and its paid off, literally.
The Central Sierra Snow Lab was interviewed, quoted, or referenced in hundreds of news articles last season, with more than 13 billion online impressions during that time.
Schwartz himself received dozens of calls some days to speak on the impressive snow season. That publicity he credits with more funding and donations that allow the lab to continue research.
