Rain is always a welcomed sight for Los Angeles residents. After years of drought, a good downpour is a blessing. Heavy rains have been seen in the L.A. area in the past few months. At the start of 2021, an inch of rain or more in L.A. had fallen in only three of the previous 18 months. But then January and February brought loads of rainfall-with a new record broken in February when 9.20 inches of rain fell, beating the previous record of 8.65 inches set in 1972.

Along with extra rain and snow in the Sierra Nevada, the level of snow in the Rockies and other mountain areas, along with the amount of snow that melts by spring, are both critical for the amount of runoff available to fill reservoirs.

However, the recent rain in L.A. has made a noticeable difference, helping to reduce water consumption. In February, the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that customers continued to exceed the state-mandated water conservation mandate, using nine percent less than what was used in the same month the year before. If the recent rains continue, this should help maintain water resources for the foreseeable future.

The recent rains in Los Angeles, while providing needed relief from the drought, /are not enough to break the drought. But the, rainfall has been a positive step toward reducing water consumption and providing more water resources in the long run. Hopefully, future rainstorms will continue to bring relief from the drought and help restore and maintain the water supply in the Los Angeles area.