The unprecedented drought in California is now entering it's sixth year. At present over 2/3 of the state is under severe drought conditions. The CA State Water Conservation Office is currently developing even stricter water controls. They plan to implement tighter regulations on agricultural watering as well as make the ban on watering urban lawns permanent. A public service campaign states that lawns should not be seen as brown, but gold, and that "Gold is the new green" however, the real gold seems to be the water supply. Snowpack is crucial since 1/3 of the water comes from melting snow and in April 2016, it was only at 87% of normal.
The tighter restrictions on water use will have to go through a period of public comment. Hearings in different municipalities will take place and the concerns of residents, farmers and industry will be taken into consideration. While a weak La Nina is predicted for the winter and that could bring normal precipitation, as California has found, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to water. The new restrictions, once passed, should take effect in early 2017.
