The April first start to the new water year has come and gone leaving the official snowpack for 2008-2009 below normal.

As of April 8th, the LADWP website lists the water content of the snow at Mammoth Pass at 37.3 inches, or 85% of normal for the year.

Rock Creek checks in at a low 30% of normal for the year, while South Lake checks in with 71% of normal for the season. Big Pine Creek is 74% of normal for the year. On the southern end of the range, the Cottonwood Lakes station checks in with 54% of normal.

Snow levels were high this year, leaving some lower altitude locations on the bare side, but areas in the Owens Valley that see more rain then snow, are also low on moisture after the winter. Bishop, Big Pine, and Independence are all running well below normal for rainfall. Bishop checks in at 33% of normal to date. Big Pine has 24% of normal rainfall to date, while Independence has 59% of normal rainfall for the season ending September 30th.

On the west side of the Sierra officials with the Sequoia National Forest report that the Kern River drainage checked in at 73% of normal for the year.

Statewide surveys show California as a whole at 83% of normal precipitation.