Half of the state of California is out of “drought” status, according to a new report Thursday and it’s being credited to reservoirs filling up and the snowpack growing.
But, we still need more ground water, according to the author of this week's federal drought monitor map.
“Over the last three years, wells were going dry by the hundreds throughout the state. You need that groundwater restored. So, we’re in good shape when it comes to reservoirs and mountain snowpack. Groundwater is still a bit of a problem,” said Richard Heim, drought monitor meteorologist.
Streams are running high and the soil moisture has been restored, which means that for now, the Bay Area is mostly out of the drought and into the “abnormally dry” status.
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So what does this mean long term?
“Megadrought over? Well, ask me that in five years, we might have a better idea then,” said Heim. "Is the current three-year drought over? For those parts of the state that are now ‘abnormally dry’ or deemed nothing, yes. How long will that last? Ask me that in a year.”
Local
Valley Water in the South Bay said Thursday’s update is great news but the board will wait until the end of the water year -- April 1 -- and the April snowpack survey, to decide whether to make changes to its water restrictions.
“That’s kind of the last puzzle piece for our water supply portfolio heading into the dry season,” said Matt Keller of Valley Water. “So they’ll take a look at our current supplies and then they’ll evaluate what kind of water restrictions will be lifted from this drought and what may stay in place.”
Katherine Cushing, San Jose State University environmental studies chair professor, said that locally, there are three things we need to watch moving forward.
“The first is precipitation. Are we going to get more storms? The second is the temperature. Is it going to stay cold enough that the Sierra Nevada snowpack is not going to melt so some of these gains that we’ve seen are not going to literally be evaporated away,” she said.
And the third is time.
She, and others, fear a brewing atmospheric river aimed at the Sierra might melt the snowpack faster than anticipated.
So while Thursday was cause for celebration – we will have to wait and see how big that celebration should be.
