SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the fourth manual snow survey of 2020 at Phillips Station. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, DWR is providing video of the results in lieu of conducting a live media event on site.
Today’s manual survey recorded 43.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 16.5 inches, which is 66 percent of the April average for this location. The SWE measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack, which provides a more accurate forecast of spring runoff. Measurements from the 130 electronic snow sensors, scattered throughout the state, indicate that the statewide snowpack’s water equivalent is 15.2 inches, or 53 percent of the April average. In addition to the manual snow surveys and automated snow measuring sites, DWR is collaborating to augment the measurements with satellite and air-borne remote-sensed data. These experimental data products provide additional detail to the spatial patterns of snow water accumulation in the watersheds that helps inform and guide forecast runoff quantities and timing. Such data gathering will be a key adaptation strategy as climate change impacts continue to mount. “While today’s survey results show our snowpack is better off than it was just last month, they still underscore the need for widespread, wise use of our water supplies,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “California’s climate continues to show extreme unpredictability, and February’s record dryness is a clear example of the extremes associated with climate change.” California is experiencing increased extremes and variability due to climate change. In one year, California has gone from having the fifth best recorded snowpack to one of the 10 worst. “Over the last decade, California’s snowpack has been alternating between extremely wet and extremely dry,” stated Sean de Guzman, chief of DWR’s Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecast Section. “In the past 10 years, we’ve seen three of our smallest snowpacks on record, but we’ve also seen three of our largest snowpacks on record.” On average, the snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer. The state’s six largest reservoirs currently hold between 82 percent (San Luis) and 125 percent (Melones) of their historical averages for this date. Lake Shasta, California’s largest surface reservoir, is 98 percent of its historical average and sits at 79 percent of capacity. Additional Resources Results of Phillips Station Snow Survey (video) B-roll Video of past Phillips surveys Digital photos of past Phillips surveys California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program Story Map https://arcg.is/1fiCbG Snowpack readings (View readings for current regional snowpack and historical snowpack comparison) CDEC precipitation data (View current charts for the Northern Sierra 8-station index for updated rainfall readings in the critical northern portion of the state, as well as the San Joaquin 5-station index and Tulare Basin 6-station index.) Educators saddened, yet ready to provide distance learning opportunities to all their students SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement of physical school closures ends some uncertainty about the 2019-20 academic school year as labor partners and administrators work to provide local districts and unions with a framework for their work on an equitable approach to meeting local students’ needs and establish distance learning plans. More information is available in the Governor’s Executive Order on the closures and the California Department of Education’s guidance. “The governor’s announcement is not unexpected, and I know educators across the state are stepping up to ensure students continue to get the learning opportunities they need. This is a tough situation for all of us – students, educators and families. Many schools closed so quickly that teachers didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to their students and really help them prepare for this new reality. I have heard from so many educators who have talked about how their students cried on their first distance learning calls, simply because they were happy to see each other,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd. “CTA members are working their magic to meet their students where they are. In fact, we’ve even seen caravans of teachers driving through neighborhoods to reach out and see their students.” Teachers are offering distance learning from their homes, working with their districts to set up distance learning labs, creating and sharing lesson plans, and providing professional development support to each other. CTA is providing teacher-led online-learning webinars to help educators prepare. Educators are also continuing to support students and families by providing pick-up meals at school sites and working with school districts to provide laptops, tablets and other electronic devices to students who need them. CTA was happy to work with Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) Tony Thurmond, Gov. Newsom, and our labor and management partners on the jointly-issued framework to provide additional direction to address the unprecedented and myriad challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has generated for school communities across California. “The last two weeks have been challenging for all of us as educators, our students, their families, administrators and our communities as a whole. As we grapple with this new normal, we must work together with respect and compassion,” said Boyd. “The districts and schools that are working most effectively are those in which teachers were part of the discussions and involved in the distance learning planning every step of the way.” CTA will continue to provide guidance to its local affiliates while working closely with the governor and SPI. “We know there are still many unanswered questions for students, parents and educators. We will continue to work with Governor Newsom, Superintendent Thurmond and our education and labor partners as we now move forward with this new temporary normal,” said Boyd. CTA guidance and resources for educators and parents are available at www.cta.org/COVID-19. ### State Superintendent Thurmond Announces COVID-19 Response Funding Available to School Districts4/1/2020 SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that $100,000,000 in funding will be distributed to local educational agencies (LEAs) throughout the state. The funding was included in Senate Bill 117, one of two COVID-19 emergency bills passed by the California Legislature on March 17, 2020. “I am very grateful to the members of the state legislature for their rapid response in providing this essential funding to assist LEAs during this very challenging time,” said Thurmond. “These funds will allow district administrators to ensure that sites are properly cleaned and sanitized, keep school staff safe, provide nutritious meals, and focus on implementing a distance learning infrastructure that is equitable and accessible to all students.” The priority for these funds is health and safety needs for LEAs, including student meal access, during COVID-19 closure periods.[ED1] To receive the funds, eligible LEAs had to be operational as of March 4, 2020. Funding is allocated to LEAs based on 2019–2020 average daily attendance (ADA) funded by the California Department of Education in February 2020. Eligible LEAs will receive $17.37 per ADA, with a minimum funding allocation of $250. The State Controller’s Office will issue payments for the SB 117 funds to each county treasurer’s office within three to four business days. The apportionment letter, allocation detail, and payment schedule for this funding are available at on the CDE’s SB 117 COVID-19 LEA’s Response Funds web page. ### The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Sierra County Superintendent of Schools, James Berardi reported during the special Supervisors’ meeting March 31st he’d just received a letter from the State Superintendent stating that all California schools will be closed the remainder of the school year. He said the message the school district wanted to get out is; school is not over and would continue education through distance learning. Berardi stated he had meetings with teachers at all sites on Monday and they are doing their due diligence in getting things done. Teachers are creating independent study packets and Google classroom online work, and school buses will be dropping off work for students at bus stops. He hoped to find some normalcy for families and would do his best to serve all students. Berardi said he was going to be getting guidance about graduation and thinks it will be a do as you can for your kids, adding this is a moving target and he is in unchartered waters. He said revenue is usually generated by average daily attendance and the Governor has waived those rights and promised they will get paid no matter what. Berardi concluded by stating this is a learning curve and they are trying to stay, “One step ahead of it.” |