California is now practically drought-free, but we keep wasting so much rainwater

Only California's most northwestern and southeastern corners remain under moderate drought or in abnormally dry conditions — just 6% of the state, according to the drought monitor. (Press Democrat)

Why it matters: Despite all that drought-busting precipitation, California continues to capture only a percentage of that water. Much of the abundance in rain from Hilary ended up running off into the ocean — not captured or stored for future use, when California will inevitably face its next drought.

What's next: "What we need to do is either capture a lot of the wet season, or develop more stormwater recapture projects that can take advantage of an average year," Art Castro, a watershed manager for the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, said. That will likely require "back-engineering" of L.A.'s water system, he said, as much of it was designed with older rain models in mind, when storms weren't as intense. said.