Rains bring drought relief to everywhere but Santa Barbara (San Diego: tax, transit)

[MtnSurfer]

With all the rain we've been getting its hard to imagine anywhere in CA still in drought. But this recent article in the Wall Street Journal shows that Santa Barbara is still in extreme drought. It looks like their geography makes them especially susceptible to water shortages. Still, its kind of hard to imagine all this rain just passing them by.

Storms Bring Relief to Drought-Stricken California, but Santa Barbara Misses Out

Then this drought monitor seems off if you look at the Sierra Nevada which has been pounded by snow and is at record snow pack levels.

[nightlysparrow]

Well, at least have the only functioning desalinization plant in SoCal

[sav858]

It's weird, I read about this a few weeks ago (can't find the exact article) and I recall it saying the way the storms have been coming in just has pretty much bypassed this watershed. The storms just haven't been hitting the mountains at an angle that usually produces a lot of rain for this area for whatever reason.

Came across this from around the time I read that article:
Despite Drenching, Santa Barbara Still in 'Extreme' Drought

It's improved but still the most drought stricken part of the state.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

Well, at least have the only functioning desalinization plant in SoCal

I don't believe it's functioning and supplying water yet, they mothballed that plant when the rains came back in the 90's and only recently reactivated it but I don't think its ready yet. San Diego (Carlsbad) is the only one in SoCal right now supplying drinking water.

[BeauCharles]

I don't think Santa Barbara planned as they should for the population they have and the vagaries of today's climate. Too many coastal communities seems stuck in the 1960s with their infrastructure. Environmentalists, NIMBYs and low tax advocates run amok.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

A few things. First, Cachuma gets 90+% of its infeed from runoff. Snow pack is not a major consideration. There are only a handful of high points that get anything resembling snow pack near there.

The other thing is, although the North half of the state has gotten drenched, south of 36 N latitude it's really been hit or miss. A number of fronts have died out mid state.

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

A few things. First, Cachuma gets 90+% of its infeed from runoff. Snow pack is not a major consideration. There are only a handful of high points that get anything resembling snow pack near there.

The other thing is, although the North half of the state has gotten drenched, south of 36 N latitude it's really been hit or miss. A number of fronts have died out mid state.

I think Cachuma being the only real source of water is the issue for SB's drought issues. LA and pretty much all of the rest of socal gets much of its water from northern california and the colorado river. According this map (http://www.capradio.org/media/700535/water-map.png) SB has no access to this water. So while SB may be getting above average rainfall this year (though I'm not sure this is the case), filling a depleted reservoir that is only fed by runoff and not by any major rivers or aquaducts will most likely take years in a Mediterranean climate.

[Des-Lab]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

The other thing is....south of 36 N latitude it's really been hit or miss. A number of fronts have died out mid state.

I would actually place that line of demarcation a bit further north at about 37° (roughly Fresno).

That seems to be the town where half has been submerged and half dry. South of there-such as where I'm at in Tulare, it's definitely been much much drier. We've had some rain, but NOTHING like what north of Madera County has seen. Mostly just ominous looking clouds and at best, a few transitory showers here.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

I would actually place that line of demarcation a bit further north at about 37° (roughly Fresno).

That seems to be the town where half has been submerged and half dry. South of there-such as where I'm at in Tulare, it's definitely been much much drier. We've had some rain, but NOTHING like what north of Madera County has seen. Mostly just ominous looking clouds and at best, a few transitory showers here.

That's pretty crazy when you consider the northern half of the state, whenever one draws that line, is almost flood conditions with reservoirs overflowing, Yosemite at or near flood levels and the High Sierra at record snowfall levels.

Its pouring right now in Monterey, BTW, and has been for quite some time at 36°. So this could also vary by coastal proximity with SB being the exception. Looking at the heat map above seems to indicate that as well.

Derek

[Des-Lab]

Here are two screenshots I saved from recent storms. Notice how in both, the same areas are for the most part, left in the lurch and completely dry: south of Fresno. This seems to be the typical pattern.