Heavy rainfall also provides the opportunity for on-farm recharge, a method of deliberately flooding farm fields to help replenish groundwater aquifers.<\/p>\n
There is certainly cause for optimism, but it\u2019s going to take more than a few rainy months to solve California\u2019s water woes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
For starters, the drought isn\u2019t over.<\/strong><\/p>\n Even with all this rain, roughly 61 percent<\/a> of the state is still experiencing some level of drought, and 24 percent of the state, mainly in the San Joaquin Valley, is still in a state of \u201csevere drought.\u201d<\/p>\n Many groundwater aquifers \u2013 the only source of drinking water for many rural communities in the San Joaquin Valley \u2013 remain at very low levels. And while rainfall can help replenish groundwater, a few wet months can\u2019t offset decades of over pumping.<\/p>\n It will take many years of consistent, above-average rainfall to fully recover from the drought, and that seems unlikely\u00a0given the variable nature of the state\u2019s climate.<\/p>\n Regulatory and socioeconomic issues persist<\/strong><\/p>\n California\u2019s water problems are not only the result of historically scant rainfall. Convoluted water policies, patchwork regulations and burdensome water politics perpetuate the problems, causing imbalances in the way water is managed.<\/p>\n California\u2019s water market, for example, is bogged down by complex rules that discourage conservation and complicate water trading. Market reform<\/a> is needed to create flexibility and to free up water for ecosystems and disadvantaged communities.<\/p>\n In addition, the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), while a huge step towards eliminating groundwater over pumping, will take decades before it is in full effect. This fails to reflect the urgent action needed to reverse rapid groundwater depletion, and places the burden on local water agencies to figure out a way to increase groundwater sustainability ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n Keep up the momentum<\/strong><\/p>\n With that said, we\u2019ve made progress.<\/p>\n The drought created a water-shortage emergency, motivating state lawmakers, municipalities, residents and farmers to work together. Lawmakers put new management policies<\/a> in place, residents curbed their water usage and farmers explored innovative irrigation and efficiency measures.<\/p>\n The rainfall this winter has been a blessing. But as we breathe a sigh of relief with the soaking, let\u2019s keep our momentum.<\/p>\n We must continue to fund, test and implement water-saving measures. We must continue to make progress on SGMA implementation and reign in unsustainable groundwater extraction. And we must continue to work together to develop a more resilient and balanced water system in California.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Related:<\/em><\/p>\n Water heroes emerge in California\u2019s Central Valley >><\/a><\/p>\n These reforms can unclog California’s water market and help the environment >><\/a><\/p>\n![\"Groundwater](\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/52\/files\/2017\/02\/EDF-8550-300x200.jpg\")