From Drought To Deluge: California's Replenished Reservoirs In Before And After Photos

Californians are rejoicing as the state's drought has finally come to an end with a series of powerful storms that have left the land replenished and the lakes and reservoirs filled to their brims. The before-and-after photos of the reservoirs show a striking difference, with the drought-stricken land now lush and green. California's drought had lasted for three long years, leaving land cracked and wildlife threatened. The storms, which poured more than 78 trillion gallons of water on the state, have filled 12 of California's 17 major reservoirs to above their historical averages for the start of spring. The storms, which also caused multiple deaths, evacuations, and widespread damage to homes and infrastructure across the state, were caused by the first of a dozen "atmospheric rivers" in December that began to fill reservoirs with each storm. Southern California’s largest reservoir marked an incredible turnaround last month when officials turned on the taps once again, releasing water transported from Northern California that gushed from valves at 600 cubic feet per second into the 4.5-mile-long Diamond Valley Lake. The reservoir near Hemet, which was built nearly three decades ago and holds twice as much water as all of the region’s other surface reservoirs combined, is now full to the brim. "The public is going to benefit with the water being higher. Everything is easier to get to. They can just jump on the lake and have fun," said Jared Rael, who manages the Bidwell Canyon and Lime Saddle boat marinas at Lake Oroville. “We're going to have a great year." The storms dumped as many as 700 inches of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains and record amounts of rain. Officials are preparing for flooding as a result of snowmelt when temperatures warm up, with the snowpack's water content being 239% of its normal average and nearly triple in the southern Sierra, according to state data. Despite the risk of flooding, Californians are overjoyed with the return of water to their drought-stricken state. Many are planning to spend their summer on the newly filled lakes and reservoirs, fishing, boating, and enjoying water sports. With the water levels higher, everything is easier to get to, and the public can just jump on the lake and have fun. California's return to lush greenery and water-filled lakes is a welcome change that has brought joy and hope to the people of the state. The end of the drought is a time to celebrate and enjoy the new abundance of water, and the state's residents are ready to make the most of it.