Twice the normal amount of snowfall fell in January and enough snow continued in February and March to maintain a slightly above normal snowpack.

By the end of December, snowpack statewide was only half the long-term average The vast and vital frozen reservoir provides water that supports fish, farm irrigation and power generation.

Thanks to a recent spike in temperatures, Colorado's snowpack has melted unusually quickly in recent weeks, potentially leading to an earlier-than-usual depletion of the water from the snowpack.

Thinning the Sierra Nevada forest by removing trees by hand or using heavy machinery is one of the few tools available to manage forests. However, finding the best way to thin forests by removing select trees to maximize the forest's benefits for water quantity, water quality, wildfire risk and wildlife habitat remains a challenge for resource managers.

Thinning the Sierra Nevada forest by removing trees by hand or using heavy machinery is one of the few tools available to manage forests. However, finding the best way to thin forests by removing select trees to maximize the forest's benefits for water quantity, water quality, wildfire risk and wildlife habitat remains a challenge for resource managers.