In this file photo, Frank Gehrke, chief of snow surveys at the California Department of Water Resources, conducts a snow survey at Phillips Station in California on January 29, 2015.

The California Department of Water Resources this week announced a slight uptick in water supplies for State Water Project growers — 35 percent, up from 30 percent announced in April.

In December, SWP contractors were notified of an initial 15 percent allocation that was later raised to 20 percent in January.

“Late season rain and snow in March and April salvaged what would have been a severely dry year, which allows us to make this slight increase in allocation,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Our water storage is currently in fair condition, but the state’s snowpack is still low, so Californians need to continue to embrace water conservation as a crucial part of our lifestyle.”

The statewide snow water content dropped from 44 percent of average on April 21 to 15 percent of average today. Snowpack accumulation for the year is well below average because warm temperatures brought more rain than snow in the Northern Sierra.