Final answer:
The change in the water level during the drought was a decrease of 3.625 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the change in the water level during the drought, we need to subtract the initial water level from the final water level. The initial water level is 2 1/4 feet below normal, which can be represented as 2.25 feet below normal. The final water level dropped an additional 1 3/8 feet, which can be represented as 1.375 feet. To find the change, we subtract the final water level from the initial water level: 2.25 feet below normal - 1.375 feet = -3.625 feet. Therefore, the change in the water level during the drought was a decrease of 3.625 feet.