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Keeping California’s agricultural land in production depends on fixing its growing water problems.

 

As the state considers its options, many farmers want to revive the approach that worked for them in the last century: building dams. Not far from this tiny hamlet northeast of Fresno, for instance, the government is thinking of building a new artificial lake just above an existing one.

 

Doubts are growing about whether spending huge sums to pour high walls of concrete are the best way to solve California’s water problems.

This is it folks. This year’s Monster El Niño has finally hit! The incessant ringing of flash flood and tornado warnings on everyone’s phones are causing panic and chaos all over Southern California. Branches are falling, bugs are drowning, fire alarms are ringing and umbrellas are being torn to shreds. San Diegans are wondering why they never invested in a good pair of rain boots. People going out to buy their first umbrella in years are wondering why this never occurred to them before. UCSD students are shaking their fists at professors who refuse to cancel class even as inches of water cascades down the lecture hall stairs. As you cower under your comforters this week debating whether or not going to class will kill you, here are some tips on how to survive this year’s onslaught of water from above.

Several Central Coast reservoirs are gathering water from this week’s storms.

In Santa Barbara County, the Cachuma and Gibraltar Reservoirs, both at their lowest levels in decades, saw an increase in depth. Gibraltar gained about one foot, while Cachuma saw about fifth of a foot.

Gibraltar Reservoir, Santa Barbara County

Credit santabarbaraca.gov

The reservoirs in San Luis Obispo County are seeing increases from rainfall as well.

The sun shone down on the suddenly soddened Santa Clarita Valley Thursday, but officials warn the at-times heavy rainstorms seen this week could be just the first taste of what’s to come as the historically strong El Nino weather event continues in the Pacific Ocean.

 

Back-to-back storms on Tuesday and Wednesday dropped almost 4 inches of rain in the Newhall Pass, with about 2 inches falling in Saugus, according to the latest records from the National Weather Service.

San Diego’s week of wild weather isn’t quite over yet, although it is winding down.

 

After repeated soakings in recent days — with a casualty list that includes battered businesses, flooded homes and waterlogged cars — many residents surely have this question on their minds: Is this just El Niño’s opening act?

In the short term, it’s safe to relax in terms of flash flooding, tornadoes and widespread clogging of storm drains.