Rain Hitting California To Be Stored For Drought Relief

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say they are capturing rain falling in the storm lashing California to be used later in what's expected to be a very dry year.

Mark Cowin of the California Department of Water Resources said Tuesday that state and federal officials expect to pump water from the San Joaquin Delta for storage in reservoirs during the next week — or possibly two — depending on the amount of rain that falls.

California is in its third dry year, and Gov. Jerry Brown in January declared a drought emergency.

The added pumping won't violate strict regulations protecting endangered fish, and officials say it also won't cause salty ocean water to flood back into the Delta.

Officials said that many Central Valley farmers will get no irrigation water despite the pumping.

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