American River Under Pressure: How Shrinking Snowpack and Bigger Wildfires Threaten Sacramento's Tap Water

The American River watershed supplies drinking water to about 2 million people across Sacramento and Northern California. But that reliable source is facing a double threat: a shrinking Sierra Nevada snowpack and increasingly severe wildfires. Scientists predict the snowpack could shrink by 60% by midcentury and up to 80% by the end of the century. That means less water flowing into reservoirs during the hot summer months when we need it most.

Bigger fires like the 2022 Mosquito Fire make matters worse. That fire caused over $100 million in damage to the Placer County Water Agency’s infrastructure. It also showed how fire alters the snowpack — sometimes accelerating melt and sometimes blocking it with ash and charred debris. When heavy rain follows a burn scar, it sends sediment and toxins into waterways, raising treatment costs and flood risks. Water managers are now studying how to adapt to earlier spring runoff and extreme heat days that are expected to double.

Forest thinning projects near French Meadows are one strategy. By reducing dense vegetation, these projects aim to slow the spread and intensity of future fires. But the clock is ticking. Sacramentans face a future where summer water supplies are less predictable, and utility bills may rise to cover treatment and mitigation costs. How are you preparing for changes to our water supply? Share your thoughts in the comments below.