The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors has voted to continue its drought emergency while other counties are looking at lifting conservation measures.
The county, which has been in a drought emergency since 2014, has seen levee breaks, rising rivers and flooding due to recent storms, but storing the runoff for groundwater is still a concern.
John Austin, a senior planner for the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services, says recharging the groundwater can't be easily accomplished.
"Getting out into the orchards and generally in the ground is a help, but it's not doing a lot in one rainy season to recharge," says Austin.
The County Office of Emergency Services says it will take years rather than one rainy season to recharge the groundwater. As a result, conservation rules will stay in effect.
"Don't run your showers forever, [and] still remember anything that's going down the drain isn't going back into where we need it," says Austin.
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