Friday, February 24, 2017
California Drought: Nigh About Over
Here is a chart of droughts in the West (including California) over the past 1200 years as shown by proxy studies (of tree rings). Looks like California was often pretty dry back then, and dry for very long periods of time. Was that the normal condition of the state or is the really wet version now the normal condition? Or is the fluctuation between the two extremes the normal condition? Hint: fluctuation is normal for climatic conditions.
Here is the Sierra Snowpack now, at 190% of normal. All of the state's biggest reservoirs (except one, the most southern one, Perris) are above historical averages. So things are a lot better as far as drought is concerned. 17% of the state still has mild drought conditions (like in the Mojave and Sonoran/Colorado deserts and in the LA basin).
It might be a smart move for the state government to table the fast train to nowhere boondoggle and repair the old dams and construct a few new ones for water storage. Who knows, it might go back to drought conditions all over the state again. Indeed, it surely will.
Don't want to brag unnecessarily, because a return to wet was always in the cards, but here is my prediction about the drought on my birthday in 2015 and here is an interim report last year. Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day.
Here is the Sierra Snowpack now, at 190% of normal. All of the state's biggest reservoirs (except one, the most southern one, Perris) are above historical averages. So things are a lot better as far as drought is concerned. 17% of the state still has mild drought conditions (like in the Mojave and Sonoran/Colorado deserts and in the LA basin).
It might be a smart move for the state government to table the fast train to nowhere boondoggle and repair the old dams and construct a few new ones for water storage. Who knows, it might go back to drought conditions all over the state again. Indeed, it surely will.
Don't want to brag unnecessarily, because a return to wet was always in the cards, but here is my prediction about the drought on my birthday in 2015 and here is an interim report last year. Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day.
Labels: California Drought Progress
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 1:39 PM 
