Penza, 15 March 2012. PenzaNews. The thickness of snow cover in Penza is from 35 to 72 cm that is 9 %above norm and thickness of ice on the river Sura makes from 11 to 44 cm that also exceeds the norm. It was declared by participants of staff session on preparation for high water which took place in the city administration on Wednesday March 14.

"In connection with plentiful precipitation the thickness of snow cover exceeds average norm. It is impossible to tell precisely by now whether high water will be in one or two stages. If the high water passes in one stage, the situation will become complicated," the head of department of Civil Defence and Emergency Situations in of Penza Nikolay Zavodovsky specified.

"2012 spring promises to be abounding in water. The reserve 278 million cubic meters water reservoir is created," the director of FSI "Sursky Gidrouzel" Valery Paramonov informed.

Besides, within the bounds of the staff session the participants discussed questions of snow removal from the city and roads clearing.

According to Penza regional center on hydrometeorology and environment monitoring, opening of Sura basin is expected from 11 to 17 April, some days later than normally.