Half Of California Lifted Out Of Drought; Flooding Now A Concern As More Rain Looms

Authored by Jamie Joseph via The Epoch Times,

Almost half of California is out of a drought, including San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, according to data released by the U.S. Drought Monitor March 16.

But with so much Sierra Nevada Mountain snowpack, the possibility of flooding is a new concern, forecasters in the National Weather Service Office of Water Prediction warned.

According to the drought monitor, about 45 percent of the state is now out of a drought including nearly all of Central California.

But some swaths of Northern and Southern California remain in “abnormally dry” and “moderate drought” conditions.

(Courtesy of the U.S. Drought Monitor)

California has experienced severe drought conditions, off and on, since 2006, leading to water rationing and regulations, in urban and agricultural zones and unprecedentedly low reservoir levels statewide.

But its long-standing water woes took a positive turn after a series of storms that started in December.

By mid-January, the mountain snowpack reportedly exceeded 200 percent, according to the National Weather Service.

According to the state’s water data, reservoirs that were once depleted are now filling up with some over 80 percent full – and groundwater reserves have received a significant boost.

(Screenshot via California Department of Water Resources)

Due to the excessive snowpack, the National Weather Service warned March 16 that approximately 15 million Californians are at risk for some type of flooding in their communities, including 1.4 million for major flooding and another 6.4 million may be hit moderately.

More rain, according to forecasters, is expected next Tuesday and Wednesday.