Chart by the California Department of Water Resources depicting water storage in New Bullards Bar over time.
SIERRA COUNTY — Early into winter, Sierra County is well ahead of seasonal medians for precipitation levels. According to figures provided by Downieville’s Grubsteak Saloon, 31.03” of precipitation has fallen in town this season, which is 15.64” more than last year to date and about 48% of the seasonal average. On Saturday, January 4th, UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab near Donner Summit measured 12.8” in 24 hours, bringing the season total to 150”, which beats the seasonal median at this date by 35”. The snow has brought the ski season into full swing, with Tahoe Resorts already experiencing about a third of their average seasonal snowfall.
According to US Geological Survey data measured at Goodyears Bar, water flow on the North Yuba River peaked at 5,140 cubic feet per second (cfs) on December 29th, beating the second-highest measured flow rate peak in 2024 by nearly 2,000 cfs. New Bullards Bar Reservoir storage is also exceeding previous years at this time, though significant snowfall in 2023 drastically increased water levels late in January of that year. On Tuesday, the reservoir measured 758,170 acre-feet out of a possible capacity of 996,000 acre-feet (76% capacity).
The progression helps ease ever-present drought concerns in California, which most recently affected the state in 2021. This year, the easternmost portion of Sierra County is still considered “abnormally dry” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), but most of the county remains drought-free.
Forecasts expect that Sierra County will experience a dry stretch over the next two weeks, and whether precipitation levels will stay ahead of historical averages remains to be seen. Reservoir levels generally increase until early June, when a complete picture of the 2024-25 wet season can be drawn.