Epic snowpack upends rhythms of life for many species in Sierra Nevada range
Epic snowpack upends rhythms of life for many species in Sierra Nevada range
The Big Melt is finally underway in the Sierra Nevada range, and soon there will be few wild places beyond the reach of water sounds: dripping, gurgling and roaring as runoff flows from lofty peaks to sage plains below. But the whiplash change from extreme drought to epic snowpack is having very different consequences for a variety of species. Aerial surveys of booming waterfowl populations across the state are currently being conducted by state biologists. The results are expected to become available later this year.