In his 32 years of working at Madera County’s Eastman Lake, Jerry Magnuson has seen plenty of what Mother Nature has to offer. But for Magnuson, the seven-year park manager who is a month away from retirement, a record-setting drought has brought fears of lasting effects on the landscape to which Magnuson has grown accustomed.
“I’ve been here for years and I’ve never seen anything close to this,” Magnuson said. “Not only is it dry this year but it’s on the heels of the driest year recorded. Just driving around and not seeing any green…”
Magnuson has noticed immediate changes to the outdoor scenery and a nearly dry lake — it’s currently at eight and half percent capacity.
There’s also been a noticeable change in tourism and recreation in the area, officials say...