This commentary was published in the Sacramento Bee on December 20, 2017.
The unusually warm, dry start to this winter—along with intense wildfires in southern California—has many Californians experiencing “drought deja vu.” Despite this uneasy feeling, we are not in drought. But it might be prudent to act as if this is the beginning of the next one. Here are some short-term priority areas for drought planning that we think can help the state prepare.