NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The latest statewide snow survey shows continued gains for the Sierra snowpack thanks to the recent series of winter storms.

Thursday's manual snow survey by the California Department of Water Resources, or DWR, at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada range found a snow water equivalence of 28.1 inches, a significant increase since the Jan. 3 survey, when just 6 inches was found there.

The average as measured at Phillips since 1964 is 11.3 inches.
 
Snow water equivalence is the depth of water that theoretically would result if the entire snowpack melted instantaneously. That measurement is more important than depth in evaluating the status of the snowpack.

On average, the snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer.
 
More telling than a survey at a single location, however, are DWR’s electronic readings Thursday from 101 stations scattered throughout the Sierra Nevada.

Statewide, the snowpack holds 31 inches of water equivalent, or 173 percent of the Feb. 2 average (18.1 inches). On Jan. 1 before a series of January storms, the snow water equivalent (SWE) of the statewide snowpack was 6.5 inches, just 64 percent of the New Year’s Day average.
 
Measurements indicate the water content of the northern Sierra snowpack is 26 inches, 144 percent of the multi-decade average for the date. The central and southern Sierra readings are 32 inches (173 percent of average) and 32 inches (200 percent of average), respectively.
 
The Phillips snow course, which is near the intersection of Highway 50 and Sierra-at-Tahoe Road, is one of hundreds that will be surveyed manually throughout the winter.

Manual measurements augment the electronic readings from more than 100 sensors in the state’s mountains that provide a current snapshot of the water content in the snowpack.
 
Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, conducted Thursday's survey at Phillips and reported that, “We’ve got a very good snowpack, a very robust snowpack on the ground right now.”
 
The first four months of Water Year 2017 (Oct. 1 to Feb. 2) were wet due to atmospheric river storms and rainfall from lesser storms that drenched the state.

All three regions DWR monitors continuously for their rainfall had recorded more by Jan. 23 than their annual averages for the entire water year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30:
 
• The average annual precipitation at the eight-station Northern California index is 50 inches; that total was surpassed on Jan. 20, 112 days into Water Year 2017. Water Year 1997 had more rain in the region during the October-through-January period (58.22 inches) than during the same period this water year (53.2 inches).
 
• The San Joaquin Basin rainfall total Thursday is 204 percent of average for the date.
 
• Tulare Basin rainfall is 207 percent of average for the date.
 
Shasta Lake, California’s largest surface reservoir now holds 114 percent of its historical average on Thursday’s date. One year ago, Shasta’s storage was just 78 percent of its February 2 average.

Similarly, Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, holds much more water Thursday than a year ago – 121 percent of its historical average Thursday compared to just 68 percent one year ago.

Although this year, so far, is exceptionally wet, storms can cease. For example, after the previous drought declaration was ended in March 2011 – and the arrival of some storms in November and December 2012 – severe drought returned, leading to the driest four year period (and some of the warmest years) in California’s history.

“In the last 10 water years, eight have been dry, one wet, one average,” said State Climatologist Mike Anderson. “Hopefully this year will end up being wet, but we cannot say whether it will be one wet year in another string of dry ones.”

Many Californians continue to experience the effects of drought and a number of Central Valley communities still depend on water tanks and bottled water.

Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County is at just 12 percent capacity, and groundwater – source of at least a third of the supplies Californians use – will take much more than a few storms to be replenished in many areas.

California’s climate is the most variable of any state. Historically, it swings from drought to flood and back to drought, and climate change is intensifying those, DWR reported.

In addition, as global warming drives up average temperatures in California more precipitation will fall as rain, not snow stored in the Sierra Nevada and other mountains. To help prepare for these ever-wider extremes, the agency said Californians should be making conservation a way of life.

Below is a historical snowpack water content average for the past 15 years.

Statewide Snowpack Water Content – Feb. 1 Average (17.75 inches):
 
• 2002: 110.
• 2003: 101.
• 2004: 111.
• 2005: 163.
• 2006: 122.
• 2007: 42.
• 2008: 116.
• 2009: 58.
• 2010: 111.
• 2011: 129.
• 2012: 37.
• 2013: 87.
• 2014: 14.
• 2015: 23.
• 2016: 116.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This winter's heavy storms have had a major impact on the region's roadways due to an increase in rock and mudslides.

Along Highway 20 in Lake County, between Lucerne and Clearlake Oaks, seasonal mudslides are common, and on Wednesday Caltrans crews were busy cleaning up minor slides that had intruded into the westbound lane.

On that stretch of highway crews also had been working at the site of a pine tree that came down the hill, triggering a slide with its collapse.

Across the region, “We are having a lot of slide activity right now,” said Phil Frisbie, the Caltrans public information officer for Lake and Mendocino counties.

Frisbie told Lake County News that, as far as the number of slides and emergency work orders the agency has so far, “This is the worst winter we've had since the winter of 2005 to 2006.”

It was during that winter season that there was heavy rain all around California, with downtown Upper Lake flooding.

The slides in Lake County are occurring in areas where they've taken place due to past storms, and as such are being monitored and handled by maintenance crews, Frisbie said.

In the case of major slides, such as those that trigger highway closures, a storm damage group within Caltrans would move forward with an emergency construction project that would include hiring contractors to do repairs, he explained.

Frisbie said that Caltrans has some other major incidents it's dealing with on the North Coast, including a 900-foot-long slide near Piercy. That slide resulted in a closure of Highway 101 for several weeks, with a detour on the old Highway 101 nearby.

He said the slides are coming at a time when the area is getting what is considered a normal amount of rainfall after several years of drought.

One of the main impacts of the drought was to cause vegetation – especially trees – to die, Frisbie said.

He said that vegetation issue is likely a factor in some of the areas now experiencing slide activity.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

On Thursday, Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05), chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, forcefully spoke against H.J. Res. 40, which would undermine the background check system for firearm purchases.

The resolution prohibits the Social Security Administration, or SSA, from reporting the names of beneficiaries who cannot responsibly own a firearm to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or the NICS.

Under the Congressional Review Act, passage of this resolution would prevent the SSA from passing a substantially similar rule in the future – barring the agency from being able to report those who should not have firearms to the NICS background system indefinitely.
 
“I am a gun owner and a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, but this resolution is not about denying the right to own a gun – it is about upholding the law. And the law is very clear about who should be reported to the NICS background system. This law was passed more than a decade ago to keep guns from those who cannot responsibly own them,” Thompson said.
 
“Passage of this resolution would put Americans at risk. It would prevent the SSA from reporting the names of those who should not have a gun – indefinitely. If there are concerns about this rule, we can revise it. But the CRA process is not a revision. It would ban the SSA from even trying to fix the rule. This is a dangerous overstep, and I urge every Member to consider the safety of our districts. No one wants another Virginia Tech. No one wants another Newtown,” he said.
 
The SSA regulation complies with the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, which requires federal agencies to submit the records of individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm under existing federal law to NICS.

The regulation states that the SSA will only report individuals who meet both of the following criteria:
 
• They have a very severe, long-term, mental disorder that prevents them from holding any kind of job – even part-time or below the minimum wage.

• Legal, medical, and lay evidence have indicated they are not capable of managing their own benefits.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The attorney for a man accused of setting fire to the residential care home where he lived has raised issues about her client's mental competency, which has delayed the anticipated entry of a plea in the case.

Anthony Wayne Conley, 29, was arrested last Thursday for the fire at the San Sousee adult care facility in Clearlake, as Lake County News has reported.

San Sousee is a state-licensed adult residential facility that has a contract with Lake County Behavioral Health for clients being treated for mental health issues.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said Conley is charged with one count of arson, four counts of attempted murder and three counts of elder or dependent abuse.

Conley was arraigned last week and on Tuesday appeared in court for entry of a plea along with his appointed attorney, Tracy Gatlin.

However, Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson, who is handling the case, said no plea was entered.

“His attorney declared a doubt as to his competency. Two doctors were appointed to examine him on that issue,” said Abelson.

The case is due to return to court on Feb. 28 for receipt of the doctors' reports, Abelson said.

She said the criminal proceedings have been suspended until Conley is either found not to be incompetent or is restored to competency.

“Once that happens and criminal proceedings are reinstated than he would likely enter a plea,” she said.

Conley remains in custody at the Lake County Jail, with bail set at $800,000.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Special Olympics is inviting brave individuals or teams to take a jump into the cold waters of Clear Lake this month to benefit the organization's athletes.

The eighth annual Lake County Special Olympics Polar Plunge will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18, at Lakeside County Park, 1985 Park Drive in Kelseyville.

All are invited to participate: Join the plunge as an individual, team or business.

Those who raise the minimum of $100 will receive a long-sleeved “Feel the BRRR” Polar Plunge t-shirt and after the plunge will be treated to lunch.

Awards will be presented to top fundraisers and best costumes. Additional incentive rewards are offered depending on how much money individuals or teams raise.

Everyone is encouraged to dress in costume, which is part of the fun.

For those too chicken to enter the plunge, they can enter the “chicken coop” and stay dry while collecting donations and participating.

The money raised will help the organization continue to provide sports training and competition opportunities to Lake County's Special Olympics athletes, who train in basketball, track and field, bocce, soccer and golf.

Lake County Special Olympics must raise its money locally to pay for uniforms, equipment and transportation.

The athletes participate free of charge with the coaches donating their time.

Athletes involved in Special Olympics are empowered with self-confidence and self-esteem, which carries over into their everyday lives. They also gain physical fitness while enjoying the social aspects of training.

To register visit http://specialolympics.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=507 .

For those who would rather not plunge but still want to support Special Olympics, checks can be mailed to Lake County Special Olympics, P.O. Box 94, Lakeport, CA 95453.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Authorities have located and arrested a man sought earlier this week for failing to register as a sex offender.

Lawrence Clayton Jelks, 69, was found and taken into custody by the Clearlake Police Department at 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Jelks was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked on the arrest warrant for failing to register as a sex offender. His bail was set at $35,000, Brooks said.

Brooks said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is very appreciative of the Clearlake Police Department's work to locate and arrest Jelks, and for all of the information received by the public concerning Jelks’ location.

This story has been updated.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Two dogs are ready for new homes at Clearlake Animal Control this week.

This week's featured animals include a male and a female, one a mix of Alaskan Malamute and Eskimo dog, the other a mix of American Bulldog and pit bull.

To meet the animals, contact Marcia Taylor, the animal control outreach technician, at 707-994-8201, Extension 103, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or leave a message.

Also follow Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook for the latest updates.

Below are this week's available pets.

'Hank'

“Hank” is a young pit bull terrier and American Bulldog mix with a short blue and white coat.

Shelter staff said is a a very low-key, mellow kind of guy who does like to play. He gets along with other dogs, walks well on a leash and is house-trained.

He's a “big love” who is one of the shelter staff's favorites.

'Lola'

“Lola” is a large Siberian Husky and Eskimo dog mix with a long gray, blue and silver coat.

She is a sweet, active dog who loves people and gets along well with other dogs, but is not good with cats.

Shelter staff said she is current on all vaccinations, is spayed and microchipped.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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