Folsom Lake - The Drought of 2014

On just about everyone's mind in California nowadays is the drought. Here in Sacramento, with 50 days and counting of no rain, with record highs in January being broken almost daily, with Folsom Lake at historically low levels, with the Sierra snow pack only 20% of normal for this time of year, and Governor Jerry Brown officially declaring these conditions The Drought, it's easy to understand the high level of concern in the region. Growing up in Orangevale, Folsom's next-door neighbor, and living in the Sacramento area most of my life, I've spent countless hours at Folsom Lake and the surrounding waterways and recreational areas, camping, swimming, hiking, and biking. On a recent sunny January day Dan and I decided to drive out to Brown's Ravine in Folsom to see the changes for ourselves. Distressingly, the lake looked more like a pond, the low levels quite alarming. We saw a parking lot filled with dry-docked boats, the remnants of Mormon Island normally under water, boat launch ramps that were yards and yards from the water, and people swarming around where they would be swimming normally. Conditions are quite worrisome, to say the least. Here are some snapshots that we may not, hopefully not, have access to again.