Let it snow, let it snow...

Okay, so the Sierra Nevada isn't experiencing the blizzard of a century and, no, the "monster El Niño" has yet to materialize, but we've got a good snowpack, thank you very much. And that helps in the fight against the drought.

From Capital Public Radio's Ed Joyce: "The latest measurement of Sierra Nevada snowpack Tuesday showed that "snowpack is growing quite nicely."
 

"Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program for the California Department of Water Resources, says the snowpack measurement was 130 percent of average at Phillips Station off Highway 50 near Sierra-at-Tahoe Road."

"He says the storms are making a difference in building snowpack so far this winter. "These are not major storms, but they are making a difference in terms of snowpack accumulation," Gehrke says."

Meanwhile, state officials have extended the emergency water rules into the fall.

From the LA Daily News' Steve Scauzillo: "Despite record January rainfall, above-average snowpack and rising reservoirs, the state water board stuck to its conservation guns Tuesday, extending the existing drought-related emergency regulations — with minor adjustments — for eight more months."

"The State Water Resources Control Board sent a message to California urban water users: A few months of El Niño-fueled storms do not a drought-buster make. So, residents had better keep conserving."

“We look at this as an insurance policy, or as increased security in case the drought continues,” explained Max Gomberg, SWRCB climate and conservation manager."

Speaking of El Niño, the rains north and south are putting a damper on the state's ever-present wildfire season.

From the LAT's Veronica Rocha: "Higher-than-normal rainfall associated with El Niño has diminished the risk of wildfires in California for the next four months, according to a national fire agency report."

"However, those same rains ultimately could trigger an uptick in grass fires at lower elevations because of a heavy grass crop expected in late spring, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center. The NICC helps oversee wildfire response efforts."

"Heavy rainfall and increasing snow accumulations brought on by widespread storms in January have resulted in above-normal precipitation for Northern and Central California, allowing vegetation to grow and “green-up,” the report said."

And since we're talking about water, how 'bout this: Oregon and California are thumbing their nose at Congress, with a little help from federal officials.

From the Bee's David Siders and Ryan Sabalow: "Federal officials and the states of California and Oregon said Tuesday they will press forward with plans to demolish four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, despite resistance from Congress."

"The announcement comes after a set of demolition, water-sharing and habitat restoration agreements stalled in Washington."

From Taryn Luna in the Bee: "Oil companies, businesses and other interest groups spent $312.7 million on California lobbying efforts and other payments to influence in 2015, up 11 percent from 2013."

"The oil industry topped the list of big spenders. The Western States Petroleum Association’s tab totaled $10.9 million, the most of any group in the state, and Chevron Corp., the state’s fifth-largest lobbying employer, dished out another $4 million throughout the year. The industry spent millions to soften Senate Bill 350, the governor’s sweeping climate change bill that passed last year after amendments removed a measure requiring a 50 percent cut in petroleum usage."

"The California Hospital Association and the California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems ranked second in the state and spent $9 million as the medical industry took sides on controversial bills related to out-of-network medical charges, penalties for hospitals that refuse to treat drunk patients and a $2 tax on tobacco sales."

And from our "Steal the Show" file comes the tale of the Sticker Kid, a student who wangled his way onto the stage behind Hillary Clinton when she gave her victory speech in Iowa.