This year, precipitation in California has been 60 percent of normal and snow runoff is 40 percent of normal.

Grass, dwarf spruces, perhaps even willows, all fed by snow runoff from further up.

The snow runoff is collected and brought to a collection center.

In areas where snow buildup is an issue, this allows the soil to be planted earlier as the snow runoff is drained away more quickly.

As the waters are mainly from melted snow runoff or underground aquafers, the water temperature is quite cold, even in the height of summer.

Abundant snow runoff in the Klamath Basin has for generations allowed limited irrigation of farmlands to coexist with waters and fish.

Since then the lake level has fluctuated considerably depending on the seasonal snow runoff from the mountains.

Statewide, the snow runoff has been at only 65 percent of normal since September, according to a drought information center in Sacramento.

The lake is primarily fed by snow runoff from nearby Mount Washington and the surrounding areas.

These natural bodies of water are formed through springs, rainfall and mountainous snow runoff.