The recent wet weather is a very welcomed sight in the Valley, but rainfall levels are still well below what they should be and that's a huge headache for farmers, businesses and people who rely on well water. Many are concerned their supplies could dry up if we don't get enough rain.
At dozens of homes in Northeast Fresno County, the water runs on wells and there's no lack of storage space. Tanks that hold thousands of gallons of water sit in the yards of homes, but Jill Poulsen is worried she may not have access to water at all.
Jill Poulsen says, "Typically it's not until well into the summer that we start to have water issues, but this year I think it's probably going to happen a lot sooner."
It's happening right now. Poulsen says several wells in her neighborhood have already dried up and water trucks have been in and out.
"The water truck comes down the road and everybody goes 'oh I hope it's not me next,' because even if you're getting water right then, tomorrow it could be a whole different story and it could be you any day," says Poulsen.
The recent rain has brought some comfort, but not nearly enough. So far this year 0.63 inches have fallen in Fresno; that's well below the average of 2.34 inches.
Gayle Holman with Westlands Water District says, "We appreciate any natural rainfall that we get; any moisture, but it's going to take this day in and day out for literally several weeks to even begin to catch up."
For Poulsen, it may take some major changes and conservation to keep her own water flowing.
"We've thought about re-landscaping some areas. The plants we have planted are more drought tolerant. We've thought about taking out whole sections of lawn," says Poulsen.