With a strong El Niño increasing the odds of big storms this fall and winter, California is on alert for possible flooding. But if it delivers a wet punch, it will also bring an upside: a bonanza of water. How prepared is the state to capitalize on El Niño? And what more can it do to take advantage of an extremely wet year? Experts say California has made progress capturing more stormwater, but there is still more it can do. Los Angeles County uses a network of 27 spreading grounds, where artificial basins fill up when storms send torrents cascading down from the mountains into the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. The water sinks into porous soil and replenishes the groundwater.

Other El Niño news:

• The New York Times: California needs water. El Niño might bring too much to keep.
• The New York Times: With storms on 2 sides of the U.S., El Niño shows its might
• The Sacramento Bee (Calif.): El Niño has surged into record waters. 11 charts and maps that show its strength
• Bloomberg: California faces billions in damages from El Niño storms, starting now
• CBS News: Other strong El Niño years show what California’s 2026 winter might look like