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NewsCut
Bob Collins

The drought before and after

In this composite image a comparison has been made between a view of California during severe drought in 2014 (top) and during the week that the majority of the state's drought emergency is due to be lifted (bottom). **TOP IMAGE** OROVILLE, CA - AUGUST 19, 2014: The Enterprise Bridge passes over a section of Lake Oroville that is nearly dry on August 19, 2014 in Oroville, California. As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the State's lakes and reservoirs is reaching historic lows. Lake Oroville is currently at 32 percent of its total 3,537,577 acre feet. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) **BOTTOM IMAGE** OROVILLE, CA - APRIL 11, 2017: The Enterprise Bridge passes over a section of Lake Oroville on April aa, 2017 in Oroville, California. After record rainfall and snow in the mountains, much of California's landscape has turned from brown to green and reservoirs across the state are near capacity. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed an executive order Friday to lift the State's drought emergency in all but four counties. The drought emergency had been in place since 2014. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Just a few years ago, California seemed well on its way to becoming Mars thanks to a prolonged drought.

It started in January 2014 and didn't really begin to ease until a year ago. Now, there are no areas of the state in drought, the first time that's been the case since 2011.

Justin Sullivan, of Getty Images, recently returned to all of the spots he documented during the drought. His images show that nature is pretty grand, if occasionally unrelenting.