SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. and#8212; The California Department of Water Resources will conduct this winter's first snow survey on Jan. 3, according to a Wednesday statement.

Statewide electronic readings indicate that the snowpack water content and#8212; near the end of an unusually dry December and#8212; is only 24 percent of normal for the date. At this time last year, the statewide snowpack water content was 202 percent of average.

The survey is scheduled for 11 a.m. near the entrance to Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort.

Despite the low early readings, officials have yet to sound the alarm about water reserves for next summer.

and#8220;Thanks to good reservoir storage left over from last winter's storms, we anticipate an adequate water supply next summer,and#8221; said DWR Director Mark Cowin in the statement. and#8220;Our initial estimate is that we'll be able to deliver 60 percent of the slightly more than 4 million acre-feet of water requested from the State Water Project, and we hope to increase the percentage as winter storms develop.and#8221;

Statewide snowpack readings are available at: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ