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California Reservoirs Are Half-Empty, Recalling Historic Drought

  • This year’s dryness matches that of 2014, 2015 drought
  • State only recieved about half of a normal year’s rain
A person walks on a dried lake bed at Folsom Lake reservoir in Folsom, California, on March 31. 

A person walks on a dried lake bed at Folsom Lake reservoir in Folsom, California, on March 31. 

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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California’s reservoirs are half-empty and dryness has reached levels similar to 2014 and 2015, when the state suffered an historic drought.

The state, known for its water-intense almond production, is facing its third driest year on record, according to a report issued by the Department of Water Resources Thursday. The last time California was this dry, the state imposed widespread water-use restrictions, some of which have since become law.