Study Says Sierra Snowpack Will Drop At Least 50% by 2050

Ticker

Monika Bauerlein,
CEO

Dear Reader,

The next few months are make-or-break for Mother Jones’ fundraising, and we need more online readers to pitch in than have been of late. In "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," we take a level-headed look at the brutal economics of journalism, why investigative reporting like you get from us matters, and why we're optimistic we can grow our base of support in a big way—starting with hitting a huge $300,000 goal in just three weeks. Please learn more and donate if you can right now.

The next few months are make-or-break for Mother Jones’ fundraising. We need to raise $300,000 quickly, and we need more online readers to pitch in than have been. Please learn more in "It's Not a Crisis. This Is the New Normal," where we go into the brutal economics of journalism, and what makes Mother Jones unique and worth supporting if you can right now.

Snowpack in the Sierras is looking pretty good this year, but that’s just a minor blip in the steady yearly decline of snowpack that’s been caused by climate change—a loss that will continue over the next century if climate change continues to get worse. But how much worse will it get? The LA Times writes today about a new study of future snowpack and how it will affect the state system of reservoirs that catch the melt and then release it during the dry summers. Here’s the nickel summary:

This is the future of California if climate change continues on its current path. And as we all know, California is a bellwether for the world. Be afraid.