Nope! California's water infrastructure can't handle the current level of farming and people. A decade-high winter rainfall could supply the state for 3 years, but most of the water just runs back to the ocean.
The most likely effect of all this rain is a repeat of the Oroville Dam near-catastrophe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroville_Dam_crisis#Investigation From the wiki page you'll note "a 2002 technical memorandum by the Yuba County Water Agency that noted that significant erosion of the hillside would occur if the emergency spillway is used." Surprise! 15 years later, in the heavy rains of 2017, the spillway was still not repaired and there was significant concern that surging water levels would take out the entire dam.
Creek rising already in the arroyo, ground is fully saturated, runoff only now. They released water from the Del Valle dam in anticipation, which is why the creek is rising.
Hope we don't have to go stay with the raccoons in the attic during the deluge.
"It's about to get wet again in the San Francisco Bay Area.
An atmospheric river delivered a historic deluge of rain to the region over the weekend, and another moisture-rich system is expected to soak the area Wednesday and Thursday. Here's what to know about the storm:
How much rain is expected to fall?
The North Bay is forecast to record 3 to 5 inches of rain in the valleys, 4 to 6 inches in the hills and 8 to 10 inches in the mountains, the National Weather Service said. The rest of the Bay Area could pick up 1 to 3 inches in the valleys, 3 to 4 inches in the hills and 4.5 to 5 inches in the coastal mountains. Downtown San Francisco is predicted to measure up to 2 to 3 inches of rain. Valley areas of the North Bay could see up to 5 inches, the weather service said. Santa Cruz County could measure 3 to 5 inches at lower elevations and 8 to 10 inches in the mountains."
It's habbening. Twelve hours starting about ten tonite will be high tides and huge waves. Coast around Santa Cruz will be lambasted. Capitola flooded, pier cut in half by waves, Aptos pier largely destroyed, Santa Cruz Pier looks like it could also be a casualty. Guess we will be staying in tri valley and watching the river rise again across the street.
Not as much rain as expected, but more big storms and rain over the next two weeks. Ground is already saturated. Santa Cruz mountains turn into piles of mud.
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