Snow survey shows moisture increase

The Fire Management Department of the Shasta McCloud Management Unit collected information from various pre-determined measuring sites around Mt. Shasta, including Horsecamp at 7900 feet, Sand Flat at 6700 feet, Sweetwater at 5850 feet, and Parks Creek at 6700 feet. An average of 66.4 feet of snow was measured, compared to only 18.8 inches last month. The historical average of snowpack in these same areas is 80.9 inches, with equivalent water content at 30.3 inches, putting the current snowpack at 82% of historical average, and water content at 83.8%.

“This survey showed a real increase in the amount of snow and water compared to the February survey,” said Patrick Titus of the Shasta McCloud Management Unit of the US Forest Service. “Both snow depth and water content increased, but still lag behind historical averages.”

On the Klamath National Forest, results of March measurements were similar, with a snowpack depth of 81% and a water content of 74% of historical averages. “These percentages throughout the Scott Valley water basin are closer to normal than the measurements recorded last month,” a press release stated.

One noticeable trend here in the Shasta Trinity National Forest was the improvement in water content on Mt. Shasta, while the content on the westside of the survey area, like at Sweetwater, stayed at lower levels.