Editorial: L.A. may not get another wet winter for a while. We should prepare for drier times
A wet February weekend, as shown in this Feb. 4 photo of the Grammy Awards ceremony at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, gave way to a wet March as the 2024 Southern California rainy season drew to a close. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power captured and stored more than 13.5 billion gallons of stormwater in February compared with 8.4 billion gallons during the same period last year. Knowing that drought will return, the State Water Resources Control Board last year floated tough urban conservation rules, but backed off earlier this month in the face of strong opposition. It’s encouraging that a state court this month upheld the water board’s rules requiring that agricultural uses take less water in order to keep those rivers flowing. Even if the tunnel project moves forward, though, the water it would bring Los Angeles would never be enough to meet our needs — not without first making the best possible use of every drop already at our disposal.
California wildfires: Rain brings good news to LA, but a potential headache too
L.A.’s water supplies are in good shape. But is the city ready for the next drought?
Discover Related
La Nina exits after three weak months, leaving Earth in neutral climate state
Erratic winds drive California wildfire out of control, evacuations ordered
Monday morning’s rain won’t last, forecasters say, but the chill will
California water wars: A century of wrangling over Los Angeles’s water
L.A. rain timeline: Another storm hits, with more wet conditions next week
It’s been a warm winter, and California’s snowpack shows it
Unusual winter heat spike breaks L.A. temperature records
California and federal government set to increase water deliveries after storms
Los Angeles fire zones hit by mudslides after heavy rain
California storms trigger mudslides, floods, and power outages