California and its Dry past

What exactly is a drought?

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Some may think droughts are just dry months or a lack of water, but droughts are identified by long periods of time, typically years, where we see our resources, such as groundwater and reservoirs that we depend on, being depleted. Droughts are not something that will affect everyone equally either; typically, ranchers and people who live in drier areas or rely on wells face harsh effects of a drought.

Droughts are dangerous and very serious as they affect many lives. During times of drought, we see large losses in environmental loss and loss of pastures, which has its own domino of effects, including higher food costs, inability to feed livestock, and it causes issues such as an increased risk of wildfires, soil erosion, an increase in water costs, and loss of energy generated through hydro power. Droughts are a major event that affects both humans and the environment.

Droughts are put into 5 categories, those being:

• D0- Abnormally dry

• D1- Moderate drought

• D2- Severe drought

• D3- Extreme drought

• D4- Exceptional drought

California and droughts

California Department of Water Resources

California typically has both wet seasons and dry seasons; a dry season alone is not a drought. Currently, California is not in a drought; however, it can be seen that parts of the state are considered to be abnormally dry. Because of California's natural weather patterns, droughts can be fairly common, with the most recent one being from 2012 to 2016. One of the worst droughts the state has seen spanned over a decade, from the 1920’s to the 1930’s. 

There are things to help prepare for a drought. The weather is closely monitored as this is a key indicator to a possible upcoming drought. The DEWS or Drought Early Warning System was created to help warn California and Nevada residents about possible droughts, giving time for people to put the proper preparations in place. Reservoirs and groundwater basins are buffer systems put in place that can help offset the effects of a drought and provide a backup water source.

How can you help?

Climate change is a force that is worsening the effects of weather and making droughts worse. Being mindful of your own emissions and water usage is an important way to help make your own individual impact. Especially during a drought, we must be careful with our water usage and ensure we are efficiently using it. That goes with making sure the faucets are off when not in use, our homes don't have any leaks, planting native plants or drought-resistant plants that don't require watering as often compared to the lawns we see. The first part of making a change is being aware of your own habits. https://watercalculator.org/ is a useful tool for finding out how much water you use. By being aware of your day-to-day habits, you can make small changes that help to lower your own footprint. Water is necessary for life; it is a resource we need to protect for ourselves and for the environment.

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Refrences

Beautiful free images & pictures | unsplash. (n.d.-a). https://unsplash.com/

California, S. of. (2025, September 15). Drought. Department of Water Resources. https://water.ca.gov/drought/

Droughts in California. (n.d.-b). https://www.ppic.org/publication/droughts-in-california/

January 19, 2025, Apps, S. G. link F. X. P. E. O., Drought  Water, Labels:  Drought  Water, April 26, 2025, Comment, P. a, more, R., April 25, 2025, & May 24, 2025. (n.d.). California’s drought story: From data to reality (2000-2025). California’s Drought Story: From Data to Reality (2000-2025). https://www.ecoclimax.com/2025/01/drought-in-california.html

| U.S. Drought Monitor. (n.d.). https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA