As the calendar rolls into March, it is becoming apparent that this winter has not been enough to bring California out of its drought. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, California's State Water Resources Control Board Chair Felicia Marcus gave the wet year to date a “C-minus” rating, indicating that, despite a rainy and snowy winter, the state is “at about average” for this time of year.
Marcus offers a bit of good news in her outlook of the drought. Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s mandatory water use restrictions, put in place in April, have proven that it is in fact possible to reduce the state’s water use by 25%. Californians are realizing both the massive amount of water irrigation uses, as well as the amount of water their lawns can do without. And communities around the state have begun to embrace technologies such as storm water capture and water reuse to support their needs.
In times of drought, the importance of groundwater is readily apparent. Next Monday, March 6, kicks off National Groundwater Awareness week, a time for the water industry and the public alike to reflect on the significance of this vital resource. The National Ground Water Assn.’s groundwater fundamentals website offers fact sheets and other helpful tools to help remind everyone, whether they’re facing a drought or not, that out of sight shouldn’t mean out of mind.
