California’s Mediterranean climate has two seasonal phases: Wet and Dry. These used to coincide with fire risk seasons — Low and High — but now both wetness and the low fire risk are unpredictable. Yet tradition persists and the state Department of Water Resources considers October 1st the beginning of a new “Water Year” and releases data on reservoir storage levels.
Water Year 2017-18 wasn’t a high rainfall period but the reservoirs are near historic average levels. This is due, mostly, to the largest rainfall season (2016-17) ever recorded in the northern half of California the previous year that had reservoir levels far above normal. Except Lake Oroville because the lake levels were kept low enough during winter 2016-17 to reduce any likelihood of needing to use the spillway to release water. Earlier this year in February 2018, this was the ravine that feeds into the area shown in the above photo.
Rainfall in the Water Year that just ended was below normal across the state. Although the northern half had more than the southern, “more” doesn’t mean “normal.”
The current reservoir conditions show near normal water levels in all but two sites (Shasta and Oroville). These are also the state’s two largest reservoirs (the size of the bar for each reservoir in the graphics represents total capacity).
Compare this to the reservoir levels in 2014, year 4 of the 5 year drought.
This gif from NOAA shows the end of the drought with the 2016-2017 heavy rain to the end of 2017-18 Water Year.
California had a record wildfire year (and it isn’t over yet). We set a record for the largest acreage fire complex this year — the Mendocino Complex (459,123 acres), comprised of two separate but adjacent fires, River and Ranch. At 410,203 acres, the Ranch Fire went on to be the largest single fire ever recorded in California. The Ranch Fire beat former winner, the Thomas Fire (measly 281,893 acres) in southern California, that occurred in December 2017.
Wildfire statistics run with the usual calendar year January through December. In 2017, we had 7,117 fires with a total of 505,956 acres. Here are the 2018 statistics, so far — ten fewer fires and over twice the acreage burned with 2.5 months still remaining in the year,
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns spinning around us.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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We did have some fiery skies with smoke on the water, like this sunrise scene over Lake Oroville.
What have you noted happening in your area or travels?
As usual post your observations as well as their general location in the comments.