Throughout Southern California, January’s rains have been greeted with relief and joy. For several years the region, including Catalina Island, has been suffering the impacts of a severe drought. While a desalination plant provides some fresh water, Catalina Island relies on rainwater and reservoirs for the majority of its fresh water supply. Years of scant rainfall have left the island’s aquifer depleted and residents have had to contend with a 50 percent reduction in their water usage.
Residents and visitors alike have worked together to conserve, dramatically decreasing the amount of water used by taking shorter showers, restricting their laundry use and cutting down on dishwashing. Around the island, the drought’s impact has been seen in dry landscapes and brown hillsides. Those hillsides are green again thanks those drought-busting storms and the multiple inches of rain they brought to Southern California.
While the greening hillsides and filling reservoir has brought a bit of respite from the dire drought conditions, water will always be precious on this desert island. Visitors are encouraged to conserve throughout their stay and may notice some restrictions at their Catalina Island Vacation Rental. Despite the on-going need for water conservation, Catalina Island’s newly verdant hillsides provide an ideal incentive to plan a Catalina Island vacation.