California snowpack at record low

A skier threads his way through patches of dry ground at Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, on March 21. Many Tahoe-area ski resorts have closed due to low snowfall as California’s historic drought continues. Photo by Max Whittaker/Getty Images

California, already suffering from a drought, had a statewide snowpack of only 6 percent by the end of March, the state’s Department of Water Resources reported.

In the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the water content is lower than any other year on record dating back to 1950.

“What this suggests is that we will have very little water running off. It accentuates the severity of the drought and emphasizes the importance of people cutting back on their water use,” said Doug Carlson, the department’s spokesman.

The department plans to conduct a follow-up survey of 230 snow courses on Wednesday. Snowpack contributes about 30 percent of California’s water when it melts, the agency said.

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