Rainfall was well below normal for most months, but low rainfall during the fall and winter months has a particularly serious impact on recharge. Winter months are the usual time for replenishing groundwater and reservoirs. Plant uptake and evaporation exceeds rainfall during the rest of the year.

The current drought, which mereorologists link to La Nina phenomena, began in Spring of 1998 following an abnormally wet winter. The wet winter enabled this drought to start from a point of well recharged reservoirs, ponds and ground water aquifers. As the drought progressed through 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, each year brought water supplies further out of balance with water needs. Tropical storms brought relief in September for 3 of these 5 drought years.

Last updated July 15, 2002.