Liz Writes Life
April 7, 2021
Snowpack – locally and Sierras
The results of snowpack surveys have been released and Siskiyou
County is doing better than the rest of the state.
Unfortunately, the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountain
range is estimated at about 59 percent of historical average. San Francisco
just recorded its driest two-year period in its recorded history – they just
didn’t have much of a rainy season.
Adding to the bleak outlook is the fact that California
reservoirs are at about half of their normal capacity, according to Sean
DeGuzmen, who is Chief of the California Dept. of Water Resources. I also
noticed the Deseret News in Utah reporting that many of their reservoirs are at
about half capacity as well. The West is hurting.
So how did the mountains around Scott Valley fair?
The Klamath National Forest employees performed the surveys
last week and came up with 80 percent of the snowpack historic average. Those
early-March snowfalls did add some much-needed snow, the KNF report said.
Dynamite Meadow at 5,700 ft. above sea level (south end of
the valley) came in the highest at 102 percent of average with 45 inches of
snowpack. Middle Boulder #1 at 6,600 ft. had 55 inches of snow, which is an
historical average of 78 percent. Middle Boulder #3 at 6,200 ft. had 54.5 inches
making it 86 percent of average.
Near the top of Etna/Salmon Mt. at 5,900 ft. the measurement
was 42 inches giving a 61 percent and Swampy John on Salmon Mt. at 5,500 ft. had
49 inches making a 62 historical percentage.
Scott Mt. at 5,900 ft. had 41 inches for an 85 percent of
average and the KNF employees also skied into the Box Camp location, which is in
the Marble Mountains, and found a whopping 81 inches giving the area a 96
percent of average.
I decided to check several Sacramento River Basin snowpack
locations on the CA. Dept. of Water Resources website and found that the Mt.
Shasta spot was very low at 51 percent of average with 68 inches at the 7,900
ft. elevation. But there was a nice above average in the Gray Rocks Lakes of
the Castle Crags area of the basin with 73 inches recorded at the 6,200 ft.
level giving that location 109 of the historical average.
On April 1st, I noticed ranchers were turning
their legal water right allotments out on fields and pastures. I do believe the
warm spring temps have dried-out the soil more than expected. Right now, it
looks like I will need to hand-irrigate every two to three days. Because it
could still freeze my plastic pipes, I will not turn on the garden water for a
while yet. The 25 garlic are six-inches high, rhubarb is really starting to
grow and the volunteer lettuce is about an inch tall.
The lettuce seeds that I planted a month ago have not come
up. I think I didn’t irrigate them at the right time. Those warm temps caught
me off-guard. But, I am hoping for some May color as the Oriental poppies sprinted
into new growth after several irrigations. Yep, the perennials are thirsty.
Conservatives meet
The Siskiyou Conservative Republicans will meet, tomorrow,
April 7, 2021 at the Montague Methodist Church at 150 S 12th St. in
Montague. Tom Del Beccaro, a leader in the effort to recall CA. Gov. Gavin
Newsom will be the featured speaker via Zoom. Tom is an author, writer and commentator
for Fox News, Fox Business and Epoch Times. He has served as Chairman of the
California Republican Party and even ran for CA. U.S. Senator, but lost to incumbent
Barbara Boxer.
Tom will provide an update on the effort to recall Gov.
Newsom. The meeting is free to attend; and if you would like to enjoy lunch,
call Annie at 530-842-2350. Grill Master, Dave Tyler, is barbecuing Cornish
game hens and ham. There will also be scalloped potatoes, fresh salad, spring
inspired muffins and dessert by Jackie. Yum! Lunch is $13. Meet and greet is at
11 a.m. with lunch at noon and the speaker soon after.
LaMalfa pushes back
I have pretty much kept my opinions regarding Covid-19 to
myself, but will now spout. I do believe Covid-19 has been a terrible threat to
humans, but I am seeing too much politics involved with an over-abundance of
regulations demanded by government agencies. So, I was thankful to learn that
our Dist. 1 CA. Congressman Doug LaMalfa has introduced a bill that, if passed,
will prohibit the use of “Covid-19 Vaccine Passports.”
Yes, the new Biden Administration caronavirus team has been
actively working with specific private entities to institute Covid-19 related
passport requirements.
While some may praise the idea of a proof-of-vaccination
passport for travel, it reeks of tyranny to me. Many folks want to be
vaccinated, so get them vaccinated! But, others may feel the successful use of
therapeutics has also saved many lives. Not surprisingly, I have yet to see any
statistics on the positive outcome of these therapeutics and lives saved.
My bottom-line is this: People should have the freedom to
choose.
LaMalfa is of a like mind. He said, “It is unacceptable in this country
that someone might be denied service because they are unable to receive a
vaccine injection due to legitimate health reasons, availability, or simply
because they choose not to receive one. This country was founded to protect
individual freedoms, and my legislation will ensure that Americans do not have
their health decisions forced upon them by the federal government or private
companies. We cannot allow the fear and uncertainty of 2020 to justify
authoritarianism and increased government control.”
Parting
thought: Peace may be hard to find, but we must seek for it – especially for
our hearts and minds. Smile!
Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in
newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near
Callahan. Columns from the past can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com.
Call her at 530-467-3515.
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