A six year drought might be ending in parts of Northern California but for San Diego and much of Southern California, the drought isn’t over yet. Yes, we had lots of rain and its been a big help but winter is only half way over and the rain needs to continue. The New York Times reports that, “Many years have started off wet and gone completely dry. Climate change has produced higher temperatures, which could melt away the snowpack before summer. And parts of the state remain dry.” According to The United States Drought Monitor estimates the Population still in drought around 26,000,000, which means only about 42 percent of the state is out of drought conditions currently. This is compared with only 3 percent last year.
But there is good news. First, longer milder storms means the ground is able to absorbed more water leading to less wasted runoff. Tahoe ski resorts reported 12 feet of snow. Lake Shasta, one of the states largest reservoirs, is 82 percent full. The Sierra snowpack has had 161 percent increase is snow fall, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.
If you want to see the change in drought conditions year over year, take a look at this map- here
What to consider as a homeowner
- Be aware of where the water runs off from your property. If the water runs into a neighbor’s property you may want to consider diverting it to the street.
- Make sure drains are clear and gutters are clean.
- Consider turning off your sprinkler system. It can save you water and stop plants from being over watered.
- If you are worried about flooding be prepared with sandbags. Find them here
Conclusion
Part of living in San Diego is being water-use conscious and don’t expect that to change this year. Enjoy your green lawn while you have it and if you want more water saving tips check out our blog here.