Given recent history, I feel reasonably confident that the graph below is about all that Nature has to offer us until the start of the next rainy season. As you can see, rain has been plentiful this year, particularly in comparison to previous years' low rainfall. While the state has declared the drought over, I'm not convinced that it is; entirely due to the large previous overdraft of groundwater that doesn't really get counted in the state's assessment of drought.
"I'm not convinced that it is; entirely due to the large previous overdraft of groundwater that doesn't really get counted in the state's assessment of drought."
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Not to mention the amount of runoff as the 4 or 5 years of little rainfall and intense heat records baking the ground almost fossilize the earth cosing shut pores. That restoration of the capillary action of the soil will also take time. How much of that rain became runoff back out to the Pacific Ocean.
Yes. Since the state maintains poor records and control of groundwater we have little way of knowing if we've replenished it sufficiently. Infiltration may be impeded by ground conditions.
DeleteOn a positive note, I've read a few articles on this recently, so it's not beyond everyone's radar.