California’s snowpack may have been a cause for concern early this year, but reservoir levels are exceeding historical median levels, and utility consumers may reap the benefits. See this visualization of the historical and present data courtesy of Engaging Data, which benchmarks the current levels as follows:
- Total Water Storage: 35,151 kilo-acre-feet (kaf)1, 103% of hist median, 94% of peak (3/29)
- Reservoir Storage: 23,998 kaf, 115% of hist median, 101% of peak (5/31)
- Snowpack Storage: 11,152 kaf, 83% of hist median, 73% of peak (3/21)
Though most U.S. states have hydroelectric facilities, the Western United States contains the most in the country, and the California Energy Commission estimates that 15% of electricity generation in California comes from hydropower. This means that snowpack and reservoir levels across the state can have a surprisingly heavy impact on utility prices, as these reserves are used for generating this power. California’s snowpack, also known as “frozen reservoirs,” recently increased to “95% of normal,” according to a mid-February report, says Newsweek.
Should snowpack and reservoir numbers continue to rise, California’s public utilities customers can expect lower prices as a result. SPURR will continue to monitor and report on reservoir and snowpack levels throughout the spring season, when numbers may change vastly. Be sure to check back on the SPURR blog for frequent reporting.
1. In the context of water resources, “KAF” stands for “thousand acre-feet” (or kilo-acre-feet), a unit of volume used to measure large quantities of water, often used in reference to reservoirs, river flows, and water supply forecasts.