Rain helped, but drought not over: "The record rainfall this week that submerged much of New England reduced the current drought by as much as 15 percent, but water supply officials warn that the dry spell is far from over."

May is American Wetlands Month: "As part of the Year of Clean Water, EPA is celebrating American Wetlands Month throughout May. This year's campaign will focus on protecting some of the nation's most unique wetlands. EPA, the Izaak Walton League, and other federal and local agencies and non-profit groups have scheduled activities around the country throughout the month."

Happy birthday to the light bulb that won't quit: "The East Bay city's biggest celebrity and most enduring symbol of reliability: a simple light bulb that simply will not quit. The priceless bulb is believed to have been installed in the city's old firehouse in 1901 and has been burning ever since."

Keep cool without losing your shirt: "There's nothing like a little heat wave to remind you how grateful you are that Willis Haviland Carrier's mother had children. That's because in the early 1900s Carrier invented instant relief for a summer's day: the air conditioner. Of course, much has changed since Carrier's time -- energy bills and environmental concerns among them."

Fact Sheet on Water Conservation from the Red Cross: "Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it. Use it to water your indoor plants or garden. Make sure your home is leak-free. When you are certain that no water is being used in your home, take a reading of the water meter. Wait 30 minutes and then take a second reading."

April Showers Not Enough to Raise Groundwater Levels: "Record low groundwater levels for April were set at seven water-table wells in central Maryland, according to hydrologists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Above normal rainfall in April helped raise streamflow levels in parts of Maryland, yet more than half of the real-time streamflow stations still had below-normal streamflow across Maryland and Delaware at the end of April. Streamflow and groundwater levels are reflecting the lack of precipitation last fall and winter."

United States Seasonal Drought Outlook: "In mid-April, severe to extreme drought persisted from Georgia to Maine, but a generally wetter weather pattern since March has resulted in improved soil moisture and some increase in reservoir storage and well levels. Nevertheless, cumulative rainfall deficits from October to mid-April range from 9 to 12 inches across large sections of the Eastern Seaboard, while several locations, including Connecticut and southeastern New York, have deficits exceeding 12 inches. The overall outlook for the East Coast continues to call for slow improvement, with the likelihood that some water shortages will persist into July."

Will the Blogs Kill Old Media? "A year ago, Glenn Reynolds hardly qualified as plankton on the punditry food chain. The 41-year-old law professor at the University of Tennessee would pen the occasional op-ed for the L.A. Times, but his name was unfamiliar to even the most fanatical news junkie."

Water Watch: "Maps and graphs of current water resources conditions" and a "map of real-time streamflow compared to historical streamflow for the day of the year."

Rain Hasn't Affected Drought: "Rain has pummeled the Eastern seaboard for two weeks now, but it still won't change four years of drought."