Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Drought Over?

The obvious answer from the rain falling on the ground over the past several months would seem to be a resounding yes, but as this news item from KCRA 3 notes, it may not be as easy as seeing the evidence before our eyes.

An excerpt.

“State officials came out with new water supply numbers Tuesday and said that California is now close to coming out of its three-year drought.

“However, the ultimate decision will be up to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and could be clouded by an upcoming political vote.

“California's last official drought ended in 1993. That time it was a clear-cut decision, but this time, it's in question.

“Thanks to this week's storm, the Sierra snowpack is now at 120 percent of normal, and some of the state's biggest reservoirs could soon be filled to the brim.

“Chief hydrologist Maury Roos said there is no formula for determining when California is in and out of drought, and that perhaps more than any time in decades, this year's decision will be a judgment call.

"I think we're sort of on the threshold," Roos said. "I think there's always got to be some judgment on the location and the kind of shortages and what the effect is."