A plethora of news stations have been reporting on the conditions of El Nino, stating that Southern California is going to receive heavy rainfall for the next few months. Many people believe that the rainy days ahead will reverse the serious drought California has been in the past four years and, regretfully, this is not the case.
Unfortunately, meteorologists were only able to predict El Nino’s forthcoming a few months before it hit Southern California. Our state government and certain, private businesses have not had sufficient time to build new reservoirs or other infrastructure which truly harness the rainwater to help combat the drought.
Rather, much government spending has been extended on trying to educate people about how to prepare for and prevent landslides and flooding, which are highly likely to occur since landscapes have been dried out during the drought. Certain infrastructure to collect and utilize rainwater has been set up, such as rain barrel installations. Nevertheless, a few months of heavy rain is not enough to counteract four years of extreme drought.
So where does this leave us? Firstly, you should prepare for the possible natural disasters heading our way due to the dry landscape and increased rainfall. The Red Cross has created a list of individual actions that you can do to prepare your household and increase your awareness about this issue.
Secondly, remember to keep saving water. California is still in a state of water emergency and we need to continue to be mindful about our water usage. Re-visit our article on water saving tips to increase your conservation, and also take extra steps during the rain to harness the water from the rainfall, rather than from your faucet. Turn off your sprinklers completely while it’s raining and for a few days after the rain ends; place a bucket on your balcony or outside your house to catch rainwater and use it to water your plants and bathe your household pets or wash your car. Anytime you can stop yourself from turning on the sink and wasting water is an incredible way to help us recover from the draught and ensure a supply of water for the future!
Sources
- http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/conservation_portal/docs/2016jan/010416_november_2015_factsheet.pdf
- http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-0107-el-nino-water-use-20160106-story.html
- http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2016/01/05/california-drought-el-nino/78304844/
- http://www.irwd.com/liquid-news/how-to-save-water-during-el-nino
- http://www.npr.org/2016/01/10/462555670/what-does-el-ni-o-precipitation-mean-for-california-drought?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=environment