On Thursday, August 13, 2015 at 7:30:19 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
During the month of July, 12 major California reservoirs shrank even
further, dropping from a collective content of 37% of capacity on 30
June to 31% on 31 July. Despite significant rain in July, the
reservoirs now only contain 45% of the historical average amount of
water for 31 July.

Added to this disaster is the prediction of torrential rains this
winter, caused by an extreme El Niño warming of the eastern Pacific
Ocean. It always seems that major droughts in California never resolve
slowly. Instead, they end suddenly with major flooding.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

The maddening part is that the State Powers That Be have had *years* to come up with a way to keep all that fresh water from rushing out to sea! I saw facilities in the South of Israel -- Ashdod? Ashkelon? -- designed for precisely that purpose. Why can't we do the same! Is it the (*&^$%^ politicians, or do the Powers that be still have their head up their ass-etts?

Been decades since the poor overused Colorado River emptied into the Gulf of Mexico. And small farmers -- not big Ag - in the Central Valley compete for the remaining groundwater; whoever can afford to sink well 1000's feet wins.

Well, at least I can get one of those city-subsidized rain barrels to catch flow
from roof, since it looks like we may HAVE some flow --Inshallah!

HB