California water officials express meager hope

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Officials say February's rain storms pleasantly boosted the state's water supply, but California remains in the throes of a drought.

Tom Howard, executive officer of the State Water Resources Control Board, said Tuesday he will sign an order allowing water to be pumped from the San Joaquin Delta. But how any extra water gets allocated is up to state and federal authorities that oversee a pair of vast waterways.

Nancy Vogel of the state's Department of Water Resources said things aren't likely to change for farmers told earlier this year that they will receive little if any irrigation water this summer from state sources.

The mountain snowpack and reservoir levels will be measured again in April, when officials say they will assess the ongoing drought crisis.