First of 3 more storms hits California as drought retreats Even with as much rain as Southern California has been getting lately, the heaviest precipitation has remained to the north and the ground is so dry that it continues to absorb rain without reaching the saturation point at which water remains on the surface and flows out of Lake Cachuma's drainage area. Rains in the last few weeks added minimal water to Lake Cachuma "but we did get inflow and that's really good news," said Tom Fayram, water resources deputy director for Santa Barbara County Public Works. In suburban San Francisco, Orinda city officials declared a local state of emergency to secure funds to fix a giant sinkhole that opened in a road during previous heavy rain. Winter storm warnings were issued up and down the length of the Sierra Nevada and for the mountain ranges of Southern California, where forecasters warned that mud and debris flows could occur if heavy rains fell on wildfire burn scars.