Lake Casitas, stressed by drought, still impacted by Thomas Fire debris
January storms bolstered a drought-stressed Lake Casitas, but officials say burned hillsides continue to cause problems to capturing water. About 8 inches of rain fell near Casitas Dam in January. That pushed the area slightly above normal for this time of year… But now, as rain slams into burned hillsides, debris and ashy muck floods into the diversion facility along with the water.