Climate Change and California's Diminishing Low-Elevation Snowpack - A Hydroelectric Scheduling Perspective

TitleClimate Change and California's Diminishing Low-Elevation Snowpack - A Hydroelectric Scheduling Perspective
Publication TypeConference Proceedings
Year of Conference2003
AuthorsFreeman, G. J.
Conference Name71st Annual Western Snow Conference
Series TitleProceedings of the 71st Annual Western Snow Conference
Date PublishedApril 2003
PublisherWestern Snow Conference
Conference LocationScottsdale, Arizona
KeywordsClimate change, Feather River, hydrogeneration, runoff timing, decreased snowpack, reservoir carryover
Abstract

Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) Water Management Team did a review to identify possible effects on PG&E's hydro generation production of an increase in winter runoff from rainfall and a decrease in spring runoff from snowmelt. There are many indications that the reduced snowpack in the low-elevation Sierra snow zone, which has been observed in recent years, is a likely consequence of climate change. Climate change appears to be affecting runoff timing and flow quantities most significantly for those relatively low-elevation watersheds, which are situated from the Yuba River north. For PG&E, both the Feather River and the Yuba River Basins have large portions of their drainages at relatively low elevation and appear most sensitive in terms of potential to affect future hydro generation schedules. The November-through-February winter runoff quantities, which are mostly rainfall-produced, appear to have increased both in intensity and monthly quantity; and the spring snowmelt in the low elevations, from a somewhat diminished snowpack, appears to be taking place almost a month early for some portions of the Feather River. Full reservoirs near the end of the snowmelt period are a desirable outcome for meeting critical summer and fall electric load demands.

URLsites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/2003Freeman.pdf