The recent storm that hit California has aided our efforts to get out of the drought by pulling 42% of the state out of drought and helping the more severely affected parts of the state quench the drought.

    The California drought began in 2011 and gradually got worse and worse as each year came without enough rain. During the worst of the drought, California was the driest it had been since 1850, Governor Jerry brown even declared a drought state of emergency in 2014.  

    About this time last year, 97% of california was in drought, and most all reservoirs were below 50% full. Now, after the recent storm, 55% of the state is in a drought (only 2% remaining in the highest level of drought), and 97% of the california reservoirs are past their holding capacity.

    The storm started on Sunday January 8th in some of california and ended around the twelfth. Even Los Angeles got two inches of rain, which in itself is a rare phenomena.

    Because the rain hit california so harshly and quickly, there were some serious repercussions. The beloved Pioneer cabin tree was knocked down due to the heavy wind and rain of the storm as the sequoia National forest received more than ten inches of rain in one week.

    Three thousand Sonoma county residents were asked to evacuate their homes because of the flooding of nearby rivers such as the Russian River. The flooded river wrecked houses and parts of towns, and some even perished because of the flood.

Because the river had been so docile the past few years, may toxic algae blooms started to grow and they are now moving downstream, killing many pets that  reside or play in the river, such as dogs.  

    In better news, California has received its seasonal average snow total for the first time in a few years. This will allow for California to be supplied with more fresh water from the snowpack in the years and months to come.