Amid an arid landscape, an aqueduct carries water to Los Angeles. Photo: iofoto, via Shutterstock)OPINION: The California storms that kicked off 2023, bringing flooding and record high snowpack, might seem enough to end a prolonged dry spell. But if history is our guide, we know that wet winters doesn’t always end a mega-drought.
Parched San Louis Reservoir along the Pacheco Pass,, at about 55 percent of capacity, as of this month. (Photo: Robert Enriquez, via Shutterstock)In California, the climate crisis is worsening drought conditions. As a result, the federal Bureau of Reclamation has cut 2022 water supply allocations for Central Valley Project contractors. “We began the 2022 water year with low CVP reservoir storage and some weather whiplash, starting with a record day of Sacramento rainfall in October and snow-packed December storms to a very dry January and February, which are on pace to be the driest on record,” said Regional Director Ernest Conan.