After two wet winters, 19 counties encompassing most of California’s population have officially emerged from the drought emergency that has afflicted the state for the past three years.
On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the executive order rolling back the restrictions.
In a normal year, about 40% of California’s water supply is stored groundwater, and more than 80% of Californians use it, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
Groundwater is the water that is a buffer in the years the state is in drought. For the first time since 2019, the agency reports groundwater storage increased during the 2023 water year, which is great, but the state’s groundwater is still in deficit.
