Inyo County California

Property owners in the Owens Valley are urged to do their part and join local agencies in preparing for the spring runoff now before the massive Sierra snowpack begins melting in earnest.

To help provide guidance and a big-picture view of the anticipated severity of the runoff, officials from Inyo County and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are hosting a preparedness meeting for the community from 5-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 27.

Members of the public may attend in person at the Tri-County Fairgrounds Home Economics Building, 475 Sierra St., Bishop, or participate via Zoom at https://bit.ly/2023RunoffPlanning.

The Southern Sierra snowpack is an estimated 300 percent of normal and is expected to release at least one million acre-feet of snowmelt by fall (an acre-foot is equivalent to one acre of land covered in one foot of water). According to the California Department of Water Resources, 2023 is one of – if not the largest – snowpack year on record in California, eclipsing other big water years like 1952, 1969, 1983, and 2017.

During next Thursday’s meeting, the agencies will provide an overview of the season and resulting anticipated runoff, discuss what steps are being taken to prepare infrastructure throughout the valley, and the steps residents and property owners should be taking to prepare themselves and their property for the expected onslaught. There will be ample time for questions and answers, and the meeting will be recorded and available for viewing after the fact.