Officially A Drought Busting Winter In Mother Lode
Sonora, CA — For the first time in over three years, the US Drought Monitor reports that the Mother Lode region is no longer in a drought.
A federal collaborative of agencies reviews water levels and the dryness of vegetation and decides whether to label areas as abnormally dry, moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought, or exceptional drought.
Tuolumne, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Amador counties are among 17% of the state that is now, essentially, back to normal, and free of any of those labels. It marks the first time since January of 2020.
It comes after a series of atmospheric rivers and recent heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada.
The US Drought Monitor says in a statement, “The rain has improved California’s soil moisture and streamflow levels, while the snow has increased mountain snowpack to much above-normal levels.”
The snowpack is estimated to be around 160% of the average for the date.
49% of California is still in a “moderate to severe” drought.
Areas still in the “severe drought” category are around San Bernadino and Inyo counties to the south, and a wide section north of Sacramento to the Oregon border.
