Half of California not drought after 3 months of rain and snow

English

Heavy rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought, but low water tables remain an ongoing problem, US Drought Monitor data showed Thursday.

The latest study showed that moderate to severe drought has affected about 49% of the state, almost 17% of the state is not affected by drought or a condition described as abnormally dry. The rest is still abnormally dry.

Just three months ago, almost all of California suffered from drought, including extreme and exceptional degrees. Water agencies serving millions of people, agriculture and industry were told to expect only a fraction of the requested appropriations.

The turn began with a series of atmospheric rivers that pounded the state from late December to mid-January, creating the vast snowpack of the Sierra Nevada. After several mostly dry weeks, severe storms returned in February. Water authorities have begun to increase allocations.

The monitor shows that three regions benefited most from heavy rainfall, including snowfall measured in feet rather than inches.

The central Sierra and foothills are now free from drought or abnormal drought for the first time since January 2020, according to an observer. The central coast from Monterey Bay to Los Angeles County is also now drought-free, as are two counties on the far north coast.

“Rain has improved soil moisture in California and river flow levels, while snow has increased snow cover in the mountains to levels far above normal,” the observer said. “Most California reservoirs fill with water when water levels are close to or above average, but water tables remain low and can take months to recover.”

The water content of the Sierra snowpack, which provides about a third of California’s water, is more than 160% of its historical average on April 1, when it typically peaks, according to the state Department of Water Resources.

The US Drought Monitor is a joint project of the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the USDA.

English