So, the drought’s over, right?
July 20, 2015 — A thunderstorm in July? You can thank Tropical Cyclone Dolores. But while the deluge was a delight for many, the drought is far from done.
This weekend’s storm smashed July precipitation records throughout California and brought much-needed relief to the wildfires that raged alongside Interstate 15 between L.A. and Las Vegas. However, lest we get lulled into a false sense of drought security after the downpour, here’s a few reminders to bring us back down to Earth:
- A couple storms over a period of months won’t stop a 4+ year drought. Yes, they provide relief, but we need over 2 FEET of rain to put any significant dent in the drought. Water conservation measures must be the new normal for desert-dwellers like us. Sporadic storms are the exception to the rule.
- We get most of our water from elsewhere. SoCal imports around 85% of its water from the Eastern Sierras, Northern California and the Colorado River–regions that were not affected by this weekend’s storm. This is one reason why Heal the Bay is working on efforts to beef up our local water supplies.
- Groundwater is at an all-time low. We’ve been sucking our wells dry since the drought began, so it’ll take a truly massive influx of water–think 11 trillion gallons–to replenish them. This could take years.
Ready for another reality check? This one’s a real mind-blower:
On an average dry, non-rainy L.A. day, around 10 million gallons of urban runoff flows, untreated, into the ocean. When it rains, the runoff making a beeline to the beach soars to over 10 BILLION gallons per day.
Yes, it’s true: There is currently no mechanism in place in L.A. to capture and reuse this precious gift from above in significant amounts. Yet. Stormwater capture is one of Heal the Bay’s Top 3 Drought Fixes, and we’re making it happen.
And last but not least: We understand how tempting it is to head to the beach for some relief from the heat and humidity–and snag some leftover swell from Dolores. But we urge you to put your health and safety above all else and remember the Big Three Beach Safety Tips following any rainstorm:
- After a rainfall of any severity, wait at least 3 days before entering the ocean.
- Always swim at least 100 yards away (the length of a football field) from a stormdrain outlet.
- Check the Beach Report Card for the most recent beach water quality grades before you head to the beach.
For more safety tips, visit our Beach Report Card FAQ page.
This graphic shows how much more rain California would need to approach normal precipitation levels.
