California drought levels lowest since 2011

After a few wet winter months, scientists said Thursday that California is 83 percent drought-free compared with just 6 percent a year ago — the lowest drought levels have been since 2011.

The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that Northern California is completely in the clear and this is the first time in four years that no part of the state is under an “extreme drought” designation.

The only counties in the state showing lingering drought indicators are in the Southern California area, primarily in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Imperial counties.

Despite the rainy weather that has caused streams and creeks to swell and an abundance of water to overflow reservoirs in California, Richard Heim, the author of the report and a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said California should still err on the side of caution when it comes to water use.

The U.S. Drought Monitor map for California as released on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. The U.S. Drought Monitor map for California as released on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. Photo: U.S. Drought Monitor Photo: U.S. Drought Monitor Image 1 of / 62 Caption Close California drought levels lowest since 2011 1 / 62 Back to Gallery

California has “been in a wet pattern. You’ve been experiencing rain for months,” Heim said. “Still, don’t waste water.”

Some wells, particularly in Southern California, are still producing low groundwater, resulting in the severe drought designations for the area. Reservoirs in that region are also producing little runoff, Heim added.

Still, the rainfall in Southern California over the past week has made some impact in refilling the depleted water.

There was more than 8 inches of rain in Santa Barbara and about 13 inches in Ventura County, which helped streams refill reservoirs in the areas, according to the study.

The NOAA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln release weekly studies that examine the state’s precipitation levels, the Sierra snowpack, water levels in reservoirs, groundwater conditions and river flows.

State officials are expected to re-examine Gov. Jerry Brown’s declared drought emergency in the spring.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani