A heavy winter in precipitation has allowed reservoirs in California to reach levels not seen in several years, marked by an interminable drought.
A series of “atmospheric rivers”, gigantic corridors of rain that transport water vapor stored in the tropics, have watered the American West and its landscapes which had only dried up in recent years, due to below normal rainfall.
California’s 40 million people have been repeatedly targeted with water-saving restrictions.
Vegetation dried out, hillsides turned yellow, all of which encouraged the spread of fires.
For their part, the reservoirs retained only a tiny portion of their total capacity, and some shores have receded to the point of revealing, sometimes, wrecks of boats.
But the winter of 2022-2023 has arrived, and with it thousands of billions of liters of water have fallen from the sky.
Photo JOSH EDELSON / AFP
Lake Oroville, in September 2021 in the top image, and in April 2023 in the bottom image.
The rivers, rivers, and streams that were reduced to thin trickles resumed their stormy course.
Lake Tulare in central California disappeared 80 years ago, but has since begun to fill again.
Photo JOSH EDELSON / AFP
Lake Oroville, in September 2021 in the top image, and in April 2023 in the bottom image.
Mountains have been buried under several meters of snow, and some ski resorts are starting to talk about a season that could last until…July.
Official statistics from the US Drought Observatory released last week show nearly two-thirds of California has fully emerged from this drought.
Thus, less than 10% of the state is still officially classified in a state of drought, while the rest of the territory is considered to be in an “abnormally arid” situation.
A year ago, all of California was in a state of drought.
Striking contrast
According to the state water resources management agency, large reservoirs are overflowing and going beyond their average capacity.
Lake Oroville, one of California’s most important water resources, is now 88% full, with nearly twice the amount of water seen a year ago.
AFP photographs show the previously dried up reservoir now reaching a much higher level.
The images, taken less than two years apart, reveal a stark contrast: a skinny stream flowing through a dusty valley now occupies its width.
A photograph taken in September 2021 shows a boat ramp rendered useless, while a new image from Sunday reveals only a few meters of concrete from the same ramp, with the rest submerged.
The Enterprise Bridge now sees Lake Oroville pass either side of its pillars when dust once dominated its surroundings.
Wet winters aren’t new to California, but scientists say human-induced climate change is exacerbating “backlash” weather: very hot, very dry periods give way to soggy ones.
And experts warn that Californians can’t afford to waste water.
In an interview with Spectrum News 1, Adel Hagekhalil of the Southern California Water Agency asks people to conserve their water resources.
“We need to save and build up reserves (…) so that when we have another dry year, and hot, dry days, we can meet it. »