All this snow out West-- where is it going when it melts? Doesn't it have something to do with...

[TreasonousBastard]

which side of the mountain it drips down?

I don't know the details, but some of it goes into the river system and fills the reservoirs, and some of it just goes down to bays and ocean.

It would be a bitch if all that water was wasted.

[roody]

1. We have had an empty manmade lake

In No. Cal. But it is filling from the rain.

[brush]

2. It's good. Reservoirs get replenished as the last few years have had...

drought and diminished snow packs. Lake Mead in southern Nevada has been at it's lowest point in decades. This will help tremendously. There will be some run-off, which is normal though.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Some run-off is no big deal, but filling reservoirs is a good thing.

[crud]

4. The irony is...

they are increasing the water realeased from Folsom Dam near Sacramento, because if it continues to rain like it has the Lake will overflow and flood the valley. They have to have enough capacity for spring runoff also. If the 17 feet of snow melts too fast we could be facing devastating flooding, levy failures etc.

I think since most of the snow and rain drops on the west slopes of the Sierra, the runoff flows west to into CA.

[sdfernando]

5. If you are really curious about where the water goes you can follow a drop on its journey

https://www.fastcompany.com/90641430/this-map-lets-you-fly-along-the-path-of-a-drop-of-water-from-any-place-in-the-u-s

[ShazamIam]

6. We have several big empty reservoirs, and hopefully some of it will replenish some of the ground

Last edited Wed Dec 29, 2021, 02:15 PM - Edit history (1)

water pumped by our growers. Most of the rain and snow are dumped on the CA side.


Edit: reservoirs to reservoirs

[MissB]

7. It isn't wasted

Some of it actually soaks into the ground, recharging some aquifers. Yes, some of it goes into reservoirs and rivers. The city I get my water from relies on snowfall not rainfall and there is a huge volume of water in any given year that goes on by down the river. Fish need water too. It makes its way to the ocean eventually. It’s all one big cycle.

This much snow in the west bodes a bit better for next fire season.

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. Missouri River is low.

Hopefully some of that snow will fill it up.

[Igel]

9. Some of it goes to bays and oceans.

Where the life in the rivers and streams likes the water, it flushes out sediment, and helps align the salinity in bays and estuaries.

It's wasted as far as our use is concerned, but the wildlife and plants get to use it.