Photo by Jim Marsh
Calaveras River enthusiast Jim Marsh had an unusually upbeat take on the drought at least week’s State of Our Rivers symposium in downtown Stockton.
He pointed out that Stockton is better than 3 inches ahead of last year when it comes to rainfall. And as a result, a 3-acre native grass restoration site along the Calaveras is flourishing.
“You can talk about drought as a regional phenomenon, or you can talk about it as a microclimatic phenomenon,” Marsh said. “From my experience, at the 3-acre site, this year compared to last year is exceptionally diverse. The growth has been phenomenal this year.”
It’s easy to forget that our precip numbers here in the Valley aren’t as bad as last year (though they’re still below normal). Overall, of course, California’s drought has worsened because of the lack of snow in the High Sierra.
But if you take Marsh’s advice and keep your eyes peeled, you might see signs of hope around Stockton.
“It’s been really surprising,” he said.
Photo by Jim Marsh