After a number of years of drier than normal winters, it appears that Carson City may be in for a more normal summer water season in 2010.
The water content in the snow in the Sierra along the Carson River watershed is now sitting at 99% of normal. It’s 91% of normal along the Walker River drainage. It’s 86% of normal along the Truckee River that feeds Reno and Sparks and 90% of normal around Lake Tahoe.
If the Carson River has a long water-flow time period, say from late March through mid-June, the Carson City can meet a large portion of its water needs by pumping from the river. And by using more river water than groundwater, the city can allow its wells to rest, letting rising groundwater replenish them, thereby reserving their precious liquid for the next summer season if the drought returns.
