CALIFORNIA. - The North American Drought Monitor published its report on the monthly rain levels and water reserve levels in the state, and the results are not promising -58% percent of the state is dryer than ever.

[img srcThumb="http://edgecast.sdr-files.buscafs.com/uploads/news/photos/news_photo_56084_1406855467_630.jpg" srcLink="http://edgecast.sdr-files.buscafs.com/uploads/news/photos/news_photo_56084_1406855467.jpg" size="medium"]The monitor, showing most of the state under "exceptional" drought conditions.

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In July, the monitor showed that the majority of the state is experiencing record drought levels. It doesn't appear as though there is much relief in sight, unless a probable El Nino this year brings light to moderate showers, but would really need to be as strong as what we experienced in 1997/98 to get us out of the drought.

"The bottom line is, there's a lot of ground to make up," said Mark Svoboda, a climatologist from the National Drought Mitigation Center, in a report by the "Los Angeles Times". "Mother Nature can't put it back in that fast" in just one rainy season, he said. It will take many rainy seasons to get back to levels we need.

Generally, the report states that California needs more than the equivalent of a rainy season, or 11.6 million feet per acre, just this year.

The "severe" and "exceptional" conditions have forced the state and residents to conserve water, with the California water authority announcing a fine of up to $500 for those that unnecessarily waste water.

The norther part of Baja California is also experiencing these extreme or severe drought conditions, although not as exceptional as large part of California. Tijuana is the municipality that has suffered the most from the lack of rain in the past years. This map is from june, and in the July report the level of drought in the region increases even more.

Vía "The Huffington Post."

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