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It's official: 2020 was a very dry year

But Sierra snowpack offers hope that wetter days may be ahead

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED JAN 1, 2021

Bucket with just a bit of water in the bottom

We received a little more rainfall than this in
December -- though not much more. The

"wet" months are starting, but conserving

water remains a top concern.

(Photo: Kathy Morrison)

It’s official: 2020 was a very dry year in Sacramento.

Even though we closed out December with scattered showers, our overall rain total fell far short of average. According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento totaled 6.81 inches for the year – 11.6 inches below our average of 18.41.

Fortunately, 2019 was a very wet year, totaling 24.49 inches, and that moisture kept our reservoirs relatively full. And we have several “wet” months to come.

Some more good news: The New Year snowpack survey – taken Wednesday at Phillips Station near South Lake Tahoe – found the Sierra snowpack at 93% of average for Jan. 1.

Elsewhere around the state, the snowpack was much lower. According to the state’s Department of Water Resources, electronic readings from 130 stations throughout the state indicate the statewide snowpack average at 52% of the Dec. 30 average.

Experts are optimistic about Sacramento’s water picture for 2021.

“While the statewide snowpack demonstrates an unseasonably dry start to the rainy season, it’s important to remember that our wettest months of the year are still to come,” said Jim Peifer, executive director of the Regional Water Authority, the umbrella organization that represents 20 local water providers in the Greater Sacramento area.

“Overall, the Sacramento region’s water supplies are in excellent shape. This is due in large part to the investments made over the past decade in our ability to switch between groundwater and surface water according to availability, and to move water between communities.”

So, we’re in pretty good shape now – as long as it rains in January, February and March.

“But we also know that California’s rainfall is often feast or famine—with flood one year and drought the next,” Peifer added. “Climate change is projected to make this swing happen more often and with more intensity: The wet days will get wetter, and the dry days will get drier.”

We saw that in the almost 18-inch difference between 2019 and 2020 rain totals.

“Water managers are actively preparing for this future reality with a comprehensive water resilience portfolio— the WaterFuture Initiative —encompassing our entire ‘supershed’ from the mountain tops of the American River watershed to the groundwater basin below the valley floor,” Peifer said. “Regardless of the weather, it’s also important for residents to continue using water efficiently.”

Two easy actions to take now: Turn off the sprinklers and check for leaks around the house.

“Give your sprinklers a winter break,” Peifer said. “Winter’s shorter and cooler days mean that yards won’t need as much water as they did during fall and summer.

The bewatersmart.info/videos website includes instructions

on replacing a leaky toilet flapper, among other water-saving

tips. (Screenshot)

“Take some time to fix household leaks, especially toilet leaks,” he added. “A leaking toilet is the most common type of leak found inside the home and can waste 200 gallons of water per day. That’s enough to wash seven loads of laundry every day for a month.”

Make saving water your New Year’s resolution. Get more water-saving tools and tips at bewatersmart.info .

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GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:

Sacramento drought irrigation Sierra snowpack weather gardening sprinklers water supply low-water plants water conservation rainfall California

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Garden checklist for week of March 8

During this sunny week, get your garden set up for a beautiful spring:

* Fertilize roses, annual flowers and berries as spring growth begins to appear.

* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.

* Prepare vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground. (Soak beet seeds first for better germination.)

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com

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