For three consecutive years California was buried in a massive drought, one not seen by the citizens in many years. However with the constant rain bombarding the state, the drought seems as if a thing of the past. But for the crops and farmers responsible for them, this could lead to trouble.

Over the course of five months, California has been receiving some of the most rain in the state’s history. Most view this as a blessing, especially with the drought in mind, but for some, this could be quite terrible. For farmers, rain is a necessity, however when too much rain is dumped onto their property or farmland, this could lead to a number of problems, such as: landslides and a loss of crops for that season. Land can be easily washed away taking crops with them.

Examples of the rain affecting the California landscape can be found all around us. One of which is the closure of the Morgan Territory Road, due to a massive landslide on the side of the road. This not only affected the citizens who use the road for transportation but also the people who live on the road. Those who live on the road are still at the shortage of supplies and the predicament is still occurring since February 14, all because of the heavy rain that has taken over California.

“Rain when it comes to farming can go a few ways. For one, it can not rain at all which is obviously bad, but also there’s just the right amount of rain and the crops grow well, and finally too much rain and the dirt gets muddy and loose,” said Ty Jones (12).

Jones’s experience in the area of agriculture certainly verifies his statement, when heavy rain is combined with dry land, landslides are more prominent, along with the ruin of farmland. From October 1, 2016 to January of 2017, California has received over 45 inches of rainfall. Just as Jones has said, too much rain can flood crops and disable growth, farming can become more difficult, and profit becomes less for the farmer.

“I think the farmers really appreciated the rain very much. I also believe they had to be cautious too because of the landslides with too much (rain),” said Connor Hanson (12).
With the amount of rain now in California, many are happy about the precipitation, including farmers. However, when is there too much rain? The landslide on Morgan Territory road is an excellent example of the amount of rain and its effect.

California has, without question, received a great amount of rain. The precipitation taking the state out of its drought and most citizens feel good about the rainfall. However, landslides, flooding, and a general loss of land have been a common outcome. It is known that crops have been damaged due to the rain, in turn, damaging the farmers’ land, profit, and even their livelihoods.

Rain can be used for many tasks. However when one receives too much, what is the turning point when the rain can become more harmful than helpful? In the state of California, one thing is for sure, it will be tough year for crops and even worse for the farmers responsible for them. The rains have stomped the drought out, but in their wake, have caused additional problems.