Meteorologists may not be able to prevent drought, but they’re developing tools to lessen its impact along the west coast.

There, long dry spells are offset by a handful of winter storms that produce up to half the region’s precipitation. Since these storms often arrive in clusters, reservoirs can quickly overflow. So when the reservoir reaches a certain level, managers release water, sending a precious resource down the drain.

Marty Ralph, director of the Scripps Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, is working with a team of scientists to develop a smarter approach.

Ralph: “Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, or FIRO for short, is a concept we’re developing to try to bring weather predictions into reservoir operations in a way that might allow for additional water to be stored safely. FIRO’s viability is being explored by a cross-disciplinary, interagency team in a drought and flood-prone region of northern California.”

These better predictions would allow water managers to safely maintain higher water levels after a storm if no additional precipitation is expected.

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As FIRO becomes more accurate at detecting and tracking storms, Ralph says it could minimize unnecessary losses from reservoirs and help thirsty California save water.

Reporting credit: Justyna Bicz/ChavoBart Digital Media.

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