California is entering its third year of drought and as dry conditions continue throughout California and Butte County, conservation of water for all purposes is increasingly important. The 2022 Water Year, which began on October 1, 2021, produced significantly less precipitation and snowpack through April 2022. It’s looking like 2022 will be another critically dry year as the majority of the state is experiencing drought conditions. Droughts are a natural disaster and surviving any natural disaster requires planning and preparation.

Current Hydrologic Conditions and Precipitation Data

The following links provide access to data on current conditions.

California Department of Water Resources | Current Conditions
(River, precipitation, reservoir storage, snowpack)

California Cooperative Snow Surveys
(snow survey and runoff forecast)

Northern Sierra Precipitation
(precipitation information)

California Data Exchange Center | Reservoirs
(Reservoir storage information)

North American Drought Monitor | Drought Indices and Data
(US precipitation information)

Local Groundwater Conditions

Groundwater levels tend to fluctuate seasonally, and over the long-term, in response to local groundwater use and precipitation trends. It is important to understand the magnitude of groundwater level fluctuations and current groundwater level conditions when identifying whether the groundwater levels in your well may drop below the level of the pump.

Groundwater is complicated because local geology is complicated. The depth of the well and where it is screened influences the groundwater levels observed in the well. Data from nearby monitoring wells cannot always accurately indicate whether you will have a problem with your well or not. Nevertheless, this data provides valuable information for gauging risk and baseline data to identify general trends and magnitude of changes observed in different parts of the county.

To view depth to groundwater in your neighborhood visit California’s Groundwater Live and select “Groundwater Levels” and then “Current Groundwater Conditions”.  This mapping application will depict the depth to groundwater based on local monitoring wells.

For even more detail on each well, click on the dot representing the well on the map, scroll to the bottom of the pop up box and click on “Groundwater Level Report” and then on “Groundwater Level Data”. You can also call 530-552-3595 for help navigating the site.

Tutorials are also available at: https://sgma.water.ca.gov/CalGWLive/about.htm

County groundwater conditions are always summarized in the Annual Groundwater Status Report. For assistance with interpreting the groundwater level information, or other questions please contact Kelly Peterson through email at kpeterson@buttecounty.net.