Much of the torrential rain that fell on Southern California this week flowed right into the ocean, just like it did before the state's epic drought.

That seemed like a good idea for many years, as storm drains provided a crucial defense against flooding. But with California entering what may be a fifth year of drought, water agencies slowly are moving to capture and store more of this precious resource...

Now, people are more likely to see a rapidly disappearing flood - nearly 3 inches fell on much of Southern California this week - as a wasted opportunity.