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• Create Date June 15, 2020
• Last Updated May 11, 2026

From 2012–2016 much or all of California was under severe drought conditions, with greatly diminished precipitation, snowpack, and streamflow and higher temperatures. This drought was broad and deep enough to stress all water management sectors in California. Figure 1 shows reservoir levels for major reservoirs across California at the beginning of 2014 & 2015 Water Years (Peak of the last drought). This figure includes reservoirs that are managed by the state, federal, and local entities. Reservoirs were at historically low levels for both Northern and Southern part of the state. Majority of these reservoir levels were well below 50% of the historical average