California drought expands to 100 percent of state

The entire state of California is under drought conditions (Credit: National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

For the first time, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows 100 percent of California is in drought, according to a release from the University of California – Santa Barbara. It shows that most of the state is experiencing extreme drought, though some large urban areas are facing drier conditions.

The driest area stretches from San Francisco Bay into Ventura County to the state’s south. The exceptional drought in that region also reaches east to Inyo and Mono counties and affects the cities of Fresno and San Jose.

Faculty at UC Santa Barbara are investigating the factors that affect water management in drought times. They say water supplies, demand for the resource and cost all play a role in coping with water scarcity.

Image: The entire state of California is under drought conditions (Credit: National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln)