It might not be an anomaly most years, but the San Benito River
is flowing again, and it’s a sure sign that precipitation levels
are close to normal after last winter’s drought.
It might not be an anomaly most years, but the San Benito River is flowing again, and it’s a sure sign that precipitation levels are close to normal after last winter’s drought.
The river bed was completely dry much of the 2006-07 winter. But as seen in Free Lance photos taken this morning, the channel has been flowing at a moderate pace after several storm fronts in recent weeks have resulted in precipitation levels high and frequent enough to create a stream.
So far in December and January this winter, Hollister has received 4.3 inches of rain, said Brian Tentinger, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Monterey. The average for those two months is actually about 4.76 inches of rain, Tentinger said.
But this year’s total so far still far surpasses last winter’s precipitation – 2.63 inches – for December and January. In February 2007, 2.54 inches fell.
County Supervisor and orchardist Anthony Botelho attributed the river’s flow to smaller tributaries feeding into the channel – and not overcapacity at the Hernandez Reservoir in South County.
“It’s good to see water in the river,” Botelho said. “It does show there might be some grass in the hills.”
