Council says drought continues despite rain

Central Coast Council has advised the Coast is still in the grip of drought despite high rainfall in October and November.

"After all the recent rain, you'd be forgiven for asking: Is the Central Coast still in drought?" said mayor Cr Jane Smith.

"Unfortunately, we are still drought affected and indicators suggest there are no drought breaking conditions on the horizon.

"Drought recovery can take a long time and a lot of rain. The longer the drought, the longer the recovery.

"Soil becomes increasingly dry during drought and this becomes a major factor in the recovery process," she said.

"When rain does arrive during a drought, it is thirstily soaked up by the soil and often very little water reaches our streams.

"This is why drought-breaking rain needs to be significant and consistent.

"Here on the Coast, we can experience days and even weeks of solid rain and only see a minor increase in our total water storage levels.

"This is often largely due to soil soaking up the water before it can be harvested.

"Long-term residents of the Central Coast will remember the impact the last drought had on the region and how long it took to recover," Cr Smith said.

Council's permanent Water Wise guidelines can be viewed on Council's website.

SOURCE:

Website, 5 Dec 2018

Jane Smith, Central Coast Council