Friday August 26, 2022
ABC 10 News —
Nearly 17% of the state remains in exceptional drought conditions with the majority being in the San Joaquin Valley. The weekly drought monitor showed no changes to conditions in California.
The past month’s monsoonal moisture improved conditions in portions of the Sierra Nevada and desert regions, but the majority of the state slipped further into drought.
As the drought drags into its third year, many look to reservoir and river levels to gauge the severity of the drought. However, California’s groundwater, our water “bank account,” is the true measure of water security in California according to supervisory hydrologist Claudia Faunt of the United States Geological Service, .
“We have three main reservoirs, the snowpack, the reservoir and stream system, and then when water seeps into the ground, it’s known as groundwater. It’s kind of an invisible resource,” Faunt said.