Storms passing through New Jersey on Thursday brought heavy rain to parts of the state. Some environmentalists say that this rain was much needed to help alleviate the state’s drought conditions.

This comes following a five-day stretch of rain earlier this month.

“It was liquid gold,” says state climatologist David Robinson.

Robinson says that while the recent rain has been great for the Garden State, New Jersey is not out of the woods just yet in terms of the drought.

“That's why the state, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, is maintaining a drought watch…This isn't the drought-buster type of rain that we had earlier in the month and there's not a lot of rain on the horizon,” Robinson says.

Those who live near the Spruce Run Reservoir in Clinton Township say that this is the lowest they have ever seen the water levels in years. Reservoirs across the state are seeing similar conditions.

“When we get to late summer and early fall, the reservoirs are usually at their lowest stage of the year because we draw more water out of them for lawn watering and pool filling,” Robinson says.

New Jersey also has less water flowing into the reservoirs in the summer because it's needed for plant life and the water evaporates more quickly. Robinson says nine of the last 12 months have seen below-average precipitation.

“We're going to really need to rely on rainfall and snow…for the cool season months as we get through the winter, and hopefully by the time we get to April, May next year, the reservoirs are back at or above normal,” he says.

Robinson explains that as it gets cooler, the demand for water has begun its seasonal decrease and New Jersey is not drawing as much water from the reservoirs. He says those reservoirs are beginning to see some rebound.