How California is using recent floods to prepare for future drought

During a break in the rain, farm workers drain lettuce fields as a storm slams Salinas, Calif., on Friday. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
As more heavy rain pummels California, the torrential downpours that have flooded large swaths of the state could help address another climate-change-related problem: drought.
This month, state water regulators approved a plan to divert floodwaters from the San Joaquin River to replenish critical groundwater stores that have been depleted after drought fueled by rising global temperatures.
It’s one way the state, which experts say has not been prepared for periods of excess water, is attempting to capitalize on historic amounts of rain and snow after experiencing three of its driest years on record.
“California’s new climate reality is it requires us to better manage extreme wet conditions and extreme dry conditions,” said Jule Rizzardo, assistant deputy director for the division of water rights at the California State Water Resources Control Board. “This is one of the really important tools in our toolbox: to be able to capture those high flows and recharge our groundwater supplies.”