The catastrophic bomb cyclone that hit the Pacific Northwest in November came with atmospheric rivers that dumped loads of rain in California.
The deluge raised the level of Lake Oroville by near-record amounts, Newsweek reported. The man-made reservoir, the tallest earth-filled dam in the country at 900 feet, is about 70 miles north of Sacramento.
On Nov. 24, the lake gained 8 feet of elevation, the second-largest increase in the month on record. The day prior, the lake had picked up 6.5 feet. The reservoir gained 8.2 feet in one day in November 2012.
"The timing as to when reservoirs begin to rise each year is weather dependent and variable," a California Department of Water Resources spokesperson said.
Usually, it doesn't happen until December, and the wet winter weather lasts a few months.
The water was still a welcome relief, as much of the state is abnormally dry after years of severe drought. It provided good news for 2025, too: The state will remain in decent shape even if another dry spell visits.
Lake Oroville made a big splash last year when it was replenished thanks to January storms. But though heavy rainfall events can quickly fill reservoirs, groundwater takes longer to replenish, as CNN reported at the time.
Earlier this year, Lake Oroville and Big Bear Lake, which is located outside of Los Angeles, reached capacity, pumping up the state's water supply and tourism industry.
The constant monitoring is necessary as the human-caused warming of the planet exacerbates extreme weather events. Rainfall is becoming unpredictable, and storms are more frequent and intense.
On the other side of the coin, heat waves and droughts are also increasing in frequency and severity, resulting in problems for those who make their living or rely on agriculture for food, which is almost all of us. California farmers, for example, were confronted with a water shortage in 2021.
These consequences can be far-reaching. Lake Oroville carries water to the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California. It took five years to build and was completed in 1967.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
