Will El Niño have an upside? California tries to capitalize on big storms

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.

First reported by LA Times: California.