According to the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 94 percent of California remains in a “Severe Drought.” Santa Cruz and most of Monterey County are listed as “Extreme Drought Areas”. To date, Santa Cruz has received just over 17 inches of rain this season, about 120 percent of normal. The USDM estimates that more than 37 million California residents are directly impacted by the drought.
