 | California’s three-year drought just went from bad to dreadful. In the course of the last week, the crimson expanse of “exceptional drought” grew to engulf the northern part of the state. The chart shows the drought's progression as reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Archived maps show the end of July for each year since 2011. |
 | All of California is in "severe drought", and 82 percent is rated “extreme drought”. The agency’s highest drought rating -- “exceptional drought” -- now covers 58 percent of the state, up from 36 percent a week ago. Exceptional drought is marked by crop and pasture loss and water shortages that fall within the top two percentiles of the drought indicators. The water reserves in California’s topsoil and subsoil are nearly depleted, and 70 percent of the state’s pastures are now rated “very poor to poor,” according to the USDA. |
 | The state’s 154 reservoirs are at 60 percent of the historical average, or 17.3 million acre feet lower than they should be. That’s more than a year’s supply of water gone missing. |  |
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