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ALBANY, GA. -- Although southwest Georgia is getting a steady flow of rainfall, water examiners say the area is still under severe drought.

Researchers with the Georgia Water, Planning and Policy Center say stream levels have increased a great deal but the aquifers are not up to where they should be. They say it normally takes aquifers longer to recover.

Authorities say although we are still in a drought, the situation is better than it was a month ago.

“So we're better but we're officially still in a drought. The rains that we're getting are not really widespread but the people who are getting them say it's helping them a great deal,” said Georgia Water, Planning and Policy Center Executive Director Doug Wilson.

Wilson says the rain has taken a lot of pressure off farmers because they don’t have to irrigate as much. He says it's going to take a while until things are back to normal.