There wasn't as much rain as usual on the North Coast over the past 12 months, but because much of it fell in the spring, reservoirs are full and there is plenty of water for nearly all residents and agriculture.
It was not enough rain, however, to forestall fire season, which Cal Fire officials said opened a week early.
"It is looking to be a maybe more active (fire season) this year, based on weather conditions," said Capt. Bob Farias, who is with Cal Fire's division covering Sonoma, Lake and Napa counties. "This is normal, but it might be a week early."
Santa Rosa received 22.29 inches of rain for the weather year, which runs from July 1 to June 30 and ended Saturday. That is about 70 percent of the annual average of 32.42 inches.
March was the wettest month this year with 7.84 inches of rain. It was followed by 2.43 inches in April.
"We are in a really fat water supply position at Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino," said Don Seymour, Sonoma County Water Agency principal engineer. "It was the timing of the rain. We were able to store it."
The water agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers typically begin stockpiling more water in Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino beginning in March, as the potential for flooding diminishes.
With the late rains, Lake Sonoma is now 97 percent full and Lake Mendocino is at almost 80 percent.
That ensures there will be plenty of water for the 600,000 residents in Sonoma and Marin counties that rely on those reservoirs for water.
It also means there is enough water in Lake Mendocino for a normal summertime flow in the Russian River and a fall flow for chinook salmon, which are on the federal threatened list.
"It's a good year, it is a full year, it is good for camping and fishing with no restrictions," said David Sarafini, a supervisor with the Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Mendocino.
The spring rain was also beneficial for the North Coast wine industry, said Nick Frey, president of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission.
The rain filled up growers' reservoirs and has left the soil still moist enough at a depth of four feet that most vineyards don't have to be irrigated yet, Frey said.
"When the vine shows stress, that is the time you start irrigation," Frey said. "You can look at the shoot tips to see if they have stopped growing."
An exception to the generally good news is Cloverdale, which relies on wells for its water supplies. Water conservation measures have already begun in the town because of inadequacies in that well system.
The spring rains were too late to keep grasses and brush from drying out, causing conditions that are getting ripe for wildland fires, Farias said.
"This year it dried out really quick," Farias said. "We had late rains, but once things start to die out, you don't turn them around."
The Sonoma-Napa-Lake district has been fully staffed since Monday, with 31 fire engines, five dozers, 11 hand crews, two air bombers at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport and a helicopter at Cobb.
Farias also said a burn ban is going into effect on Monday.
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