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California is experiencing the worst drought in its history, and the effects are being felt nationwide. Thus water issues have taken center stage in much of our reporting and the nation's.As the New York Times says, "Water has long been a precious resource in California, the subject of battles pitting farmer against city-dweller and northern communities against southern ones; books and movies have been made about its scarcity and plunder. Water is central to the state’s identity and economy, and a symbol of how wealth and ingenuity have tamed nature ..."As we continue through a fourth year of extreme drought conditions, you'll find all of our reporting on the related issues (and that of NPR and other member stations) in this centralized place.

California Drought: Recent Storms Help Sierra Snowpack, But Not Water Supply

Bob Moffitt
/
Capital Public Radio
The boat ramp at Folsom Lake on November 12, 2015. The lake set a new record low of 140,523 acre-feet in November 2015. The previous record was 140,600 acre-feet in November 1977.

This week's federal drought update shows the recent storms have helped the Sierra snowpack, but not California's long-term water supply deficit.

The state's major reservoirs are at 50 percent or less of their historical average and at 35 percent or less capacity.

Credit CA Dept of Water Resources
Current Reservoir Conditions

The update called the reservoir storage "precariously low."

Folsom Lake is just 14 percent of capacity, a new record low.

Ninety-two percent of California is in severe drought.

The latest Seasonal Drought Outlook shows "drought remains but improves" in California through February.

This story was produced by Capital Public Radio.