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Record heat, melting snow: What does it mean for California’s reservoirs?

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By Rachel Becker, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. A record-baking heat wave is scalding California, with major consequences for the state’s most important reservoir: its snowpack. Providing about a third of the state’s water supply, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is a vital source of spring and summer runoff that refills reservoirs when the ...
This article illustrates the complex relationship between climate change, water resources, and flood control in California. The early snowmelt is a result of warmer temperatures, which is an effect of climate change. However, the flood control regulations that prevent reservoirs from storing all early snowmelt were put in place to manage potential flooding during winter storms. This highlights the trade-off between water storage and flood prevention in California, a problem that may become more ...