For the past 25 years, California has been stuck in a cycle of drought, short, wet years, and then right back to drought again. It is almost as if the weather cannot decide what to do. Most of the time, it has been dry with the reservoirs low. Many of us Californians have heard talks about saving water countless times, but when it finally does rain, it does not always go to plan. 

In Chico, droughts have always been a big deal because the area really depends on agriculture; when there isn’t enough water, farmers struggle, and that affects jobs and businesses. On the other hand, when we get heavy storms and rain after years of dry weather, it may cause flooding and other problems. The ground is too dry to absorb all of the water, so instead of soaking it in it runs off fast and floods streets, homes, and fields. It seriously changes the area’s agriculture, which is a very big part of the local economy. Chico and the surrounding farmland in Butte grow crops like almonds, walnuts, rice, and many orchard fruits. Too much water may drown crops, cause erosion, or otherwise stop people from planting and harvesting. Flooding can even weaken or kill trees, which causes financial losses to farmers. 

Flood water can also mess up irrigation, fencing, farming equipment, farm roads, and anything that cannot operate in muddy fields. This severely affects the production of crops and makes farming more costly or difficult. There are many upsides to not having a drought, like wildfire prevention and better crop growth, but there are also many problems; Chico deals with both extremes: super dry conditions that increase the chances of wildfire, and flooding and rainwater that can damage homes, crops, and businesses. 

Overall, the last 25 years have not solely been concerned with droughts; they have been about unstable weather and how it has affected farmers and families in Chico and surrounding areas in a variety of ways.