Cutting back on water use: Q&A on California's drought UTSanDiego.com##&&April##&&Today's Paper##&&Weather##&&65º F##&&Traffic##&&Surf##&&Webcams##&&Subscribe/Login##&&News##&&Local Topics##&&Communities##&&North County##&&Nation##&&World##&&Watchdog##&&Obituaries##&&Sacramento##&&Close##&&News##&&Padres opening day feels better than ever##&&Business##&&Biotech##&&Economy##&&Energy##&&Finance##&&Real Estate##&&& Growth##&&Retail##&&Technology##&&Tourism##&&Close##&&Business##&&Judge will hear San Onofre suit##&&U-T TV##&&News##&&Sports##&&Business##&&Entertainment##&&Features##&&Watchdog##&&Military##&&More##&&Close##&&Military##&&Women in Combat##&&Special report:##&&San Diego’s fleet##&&U-T in Afghanistan##&&WWII##&&Close##&&Military##&&Street named for Cole bombing victim##&&U-T Offers##&&Daily Deals##&&Contests##&&Newspaper Ads##&&U-T Rewards##&&U-T Events##&&U-T Guides##&&SD Best Poll##&&U-T Store##&&Close##&&U-T Offers##&&Off Fine Steak & Seafood Dining - Options##&&Real Estate##&&Homes for Sale##&&New Homes##&&Rentals##&&Open Homes##&&U-T Certified Services##&&Mortgages##&&Communities##&&Open House Show##&&Close##&&RealEstate##&&Public Auction - Featuring homes and vacant land##&&Sports##&&Chargers / NFL##&&Padres / MLB##&&Aztecs##&&Toreros##&&Chargers Stadium##&&Soccer##&&High School / Preps##&&Horse Racing##&&Close##&&sports##&&San Diegan Hoffman leads Masters##&&Entertainment##&&Events##&&DiscoverSD##&&Dining & Drinking##&&Music##&&Lifestyle##&&Performing Arts##&&Arts & Culture##&&Things To Do##&&Close##&&Entertainment##&&Coachella a marvel of contradictions##&&MarketConnect##&&Health##&&Lifestyle##&&Home Improvement##&&Real Estate##&&Entertainment##&&Business##&&Energy##&&Technology##&&Close##&&MarketConnect##&&Care giving starts with respecting independence##&&Opinion##&&Editorials##&&Commentary##&&Letters to the Editor##&&Steve Breen##&&Steve Breen Caption Contest##&&Close##&&Opinion##&&Down on the farm, plenty of sacrifice already##&&Classifieds##&&Jobs##&&Merchandise##&&Legal##&&Pets##&&Place an Ad##&&Obituaries##&&Close##&&Cars##&&Sell Your Car##&&Buy a Car##&&Research Cars##&&Finance##&&Find a Dealer##&&Close##&&New Articles##&&Drought##&&Cutting back on water use: Q&A on California's drought##&&By ALICIA CHANG AP Science Writer##&&p.m.##&&April##&&Updated##&&p.m.##&&Print##&&Comments##&&FILE - In this May file photo, a rice farmer walks across a dried-up irrigation ditch at his rice farm in Richvale, Calif. California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered officials Wednesday, April to impose statewide mandatory water restrictions for the first time in history as surveyors found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in years of record-keeping. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)##&&The Associated Press##&&Share Photo##&&Reddit##&&FILE - In this May file photo, a rice farmer walks across a dried-up irrigation ditch at his rice farm in Richvale, Calif. California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered officials Wednesday, April to impose statewide mandatory water restrictions for the first time in history as surveyors found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in years of record-keeping. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)##&&Reddit##&&Comments##&&John Louis Rodriguez, plays around water sprinklers at Heartwell Park in Long Beach, Calif., on Thursday, April California Gov Jerry Brown on Wednesday, April ordered a mandatory percent overall cutback in water use by cities and towns, but not farms, in the most sweeping drought measure in history by the United States’ largest state economy. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)##&&The Associated Press##&&Share Photo##&&Reddit##&&John Louis Rodriguez, plays around water sprinklers at Heartwell Park in Long Beach, Calif., on Thursday, April California Gov Jerry Brown on Wednesday, April ordered a mandatory percent overall cutback in water use by cities and towns, but not farms, in the most sweeping drought measure in history by the United States’ largest state economy. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)##&&FILE - In this May photo, a horse grazes at a ranch near Merced County, Calif. California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered officials Wednesday, April to impose statewide mandatory water restrictions for the first time in history as surveyors found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in years of record-keeping. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file)##&&The Associated Press##&&Share Photo##&&Reddit##&&FILE - In this May photo, a horse grazes at a ranch near Merced County, Calif. California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered officials Wednesday, April to impose statewide mandatory water restrictions for the first time in history as surveyors found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in years of record-keeping. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file)##&&FILE - In this July file photo sprinklers water a lawn in Sacramento, Calif. On Wednesday, April California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered the first mandatory, statewide water cutbacks by cities and towns as the state's nearly million people head into a fourth summer of severe drought. Under the order the state can fine water agencies a day if they fail to meet state targets for water conservation. The California Energy Commission will help oversee financial rewards for Californians who buy water-saving toilets and other appliances. And Brown's order mandates that water agencies look at changing rates to encourage saving water. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)##&&The Associated Press##&&Share Photo##&&Reddit##&&FILE - In this July file photo sprinklers water a lawn in Sacramento, Calif. On Wednesday, April California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered the first mandatory, statewide water cutbacks by cities and towns as the state's nearly million people head into a fourth summer of severe drought. Under the order the state can fine water agencies a day if they fail to meet state targets for water conservation. The California Energy Commission will help oversee financial rewards for Californians who buy water-saving toilets and other appliances. And Brown's order mandates that water agencies look at changing rates to encourage saving water. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)##&&FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. file photo, houseboats float in the drought-lowered waters of Oroville Lake near Oroville, Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday April ordered sweeping and unprecedented measures to save water in California. Surveyors on Wednesday found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in years of record-keeping, marking a fourth consecutive year of vanishing snow that California depends on to melt into rivers and replenish reservoirs. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)##&&The Associated Press##&&Share Photo##&&Reddit##&&FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. file photo, houseboats float in the drought-lowered waters of Oroville Lake near Oroville, Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday April ordered sweeping and unprecedented measures to save water in California. Surveyors on Wednesday found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in years of record-keeping, marking a fourth consecutive year of vanishing snow that California depends on to melt into rivers and replenish reservoirs. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)##&&FILE - In this March file photo, ski lift chairs sit idle at shuttered at Soda Springs Resort in Soda Springs, Calif. The traditional snow season ended April with what appears to be the most dismal Sierra Nevada mountain snowpack on record, cementing 2015's status as the fourth drought year in a row and setting the stage for a difficult summer in California and nearby states. The Lake Tahoe Basin's snowpack Tuesday, March was only percent of normal for the date and the Truckee River Basin's was measured at percent, far worse than the end-of-season numbers for any of the previous three drought years. (AP Photo/The Sacramento Bee, Randy Pench, File)##&&The Associated Press##&&Share Photo##&&Reddit##&&FILE - In this March file photo, ski lift chairs sit idle at shuttered at Soda Springs Resort in Soda Springs, Calif. The traditional snow season ended April with what appears to be the most dismal Sierra Nevada mountain snowpack on record, cementing 2015's status as the fourth drought year in a row and setting the stage for a difficult summer in California and nearby states. The Lake Tahoe Basin's snowpack Tuesday, March was only percent of normal for the date and the Truckee River Basin's was measured at percent, far worse than the end-of-season numbers for any of the previous three drought years. (AP Photo/The Sacramento Bee, Randy Pench, File)##&&LOS ANGELES (AP) — The stubborn drought gripping California is dragging into a fourth year, prompting Gov. Jerry Brown this week to call for mandatory cutbacks in water use across the state. The drastic action marked the first time in California's history that involuntary water restrictions have been ordered, underscoring the seriousness of the drought.##&&Here are key things to know about the current dry spell:##&&Q: How bad is the drought?##&&A: California is in the midst of one of its most severe droughts in modern history. The state has experienced below-normal precipitation the past several winters, taking a toll on reservoirs.##&&The Sierra Nevada snowpack is at percent of normal, the lowest since record-keeping began in With the wet season over and with no major rainfall in the forecast, parched conditions will continue.##&&Q: How does California get its water?##&&A: The Sierra snowpack is a key element of California's water supply. About one-third of the state's water comes from snowpack that melts in the spring and summer, recharging groundwater and replenishing reservoirs. But with hardly any snow recorded during the last survey of the year, there will be little runoff to refill half-empty reservoirs.##&&Many Southern California cities get their drinking water from the Colorado River basin, which supplies water to about million people and million acres of farmland in seven states.##&&Brown's order called for investment in new water technologies and the streamlining of water projects such as desalination plants that turn ocean water into drinking water. Such facilities, however, are expensive to build.##&&Q: What has been done already to try to curb water use?##&&A: Before the executive order calling for mandatory water conservation, Brown in January asked residents to voluntarily slash water use by percent. Many places around the state failed to meet that goal.##&&In November, voters overwhelming approved a billion water bond, which aims to expand the state's water storage capacity to better weather droughts. Much of the money is earmarked for specific uses such as water recycling and treatment projects and cleaning up contaminated groundwater. About billion is still up for grabs.##&&Q: Why weren't more stringent restrictions put in place earlier?##&&A: Since voluntary water cutbacks failed to make a dent in the state's drought problem, the next step was to call for mandatory water savings.##&&There was some hope that California would get much-needed rain this winter. But after a promising early start, much of the winter has been dry.##&&Q: What happens next?##&&A: The state Water Resources Control Board will draft emergency regulations to carry out the governor's mandatory order. Water providers should start showing reduced water use beginning this summer.##&&The state also will work with local governments to rip out million square feet of lawns and replace them with drought-tolerant plants.##&&Local water districts will be in charge of enforcing water reductions. Residents likely will see water rates increase, but rationing is still a long way off.##&&Follow the reporter on Twitter: @SciWriAlicia##&&You Might Also Like##&&The Face of the Most Addictive NFL Product##&&Bleacher Report##&&Celebrities Who Went Crazy Over Their Fame##&&LOLWOT##&&The Next Tom Brady, Maybe##&&OZY##&&The Mechanic’s Son Who Became a Football Legend##&&OZY##&&Is Baseball a Dream or Reality for Wilson?##&&Bleacher Report##&&Top ten offensive Irish t-shirts that should have never…##&&IrishCentral##&&The Face of the Most Addictive NFL Product##&&Bleacher Report##&&Celebrities Who Went Crazy Over Their Fame##&&LOLWOT##&&The Next Tom Brady, Maybe##&&OZY##&&The Mechanic’s Son Who Became a Football Legend##&&OZY##&&Is Baseball a Dream or Reality for Wilson?##&&Bleacher Report##&&Top ten offensive Irish t-shirts that should have never…##&&IrishCentral##&&Recommended by##&&From Around the Web##&&College Sports Teams Quiz##&&Revolvy Nowhere##&&The Ancient Myth That Rules College Sports##&&OZY##&&How Saban Built Recruiting Dynasty##&&Bleacher Report - CFB##&&The Heartbreak Fueling RG3's Fire##&&Bleacher Report##&&Mark Sanchez: Hero or Zero?##&&OZY##&&Ancient Irish title dies with the death of the last Knight of Glin##&&IrishCentral##&&We Recommend##&&Man who killed himself at Universal Studios is identified##&&NFL Mock Draft 2015: Six rounds! Page of##&&San Diego man dies after music festival##&&Arrest in tape-attack on girl at Solana Beach school##&&Ex-Chargers exec backs Spanos claim##&&School assistant arrested, accused of bizarre acts##&&Recommended by##&&Sponsored From Around the Web##&&Reasons To Never Get Married##&&Tips For Traveling Like A Supermodel##&&Most Beautiful Eyes in the World##&&Countries with the Most Beautiful Women in the World##&&Unique Engagement Rings##&&?##&&These content links are provided by##&&Content.ad##&&.Both##&&Content.ad##&&and the web site upon which the linksare displayed may receive compensation when readers click on these links. Some of thecontent you are redirected to may be sponsored content. View our privacy policy##&&here##&&To learn how you can use##&&Content.ad##&&to drivevisitors to your content or add this service to your site, please contact us at##&&info@content.ad##&&Comments##&&Be relevant, respectful, honest, discreet and responsible.##&&Commenting Rules##&&Recommended##&&Trending##&&Mass killing of dogs shocks city in northern Mexico##&&California drought, water limits reopen urban vs. rural debate Page of##&&Scientists say mysterious fast radio bursts from space could be signals from aliens##&&U-T San Diego letters to the editor for April##&&Chargers commission Carson economic study Page of##&&Recommended by##&&New water restrictions for San Diego##&&Snap back? Not so fast. Sanctions a big issue in nuke talks##&&Obama: Decision near on removing Cuba from terror list##&&ways you can start saving water now##&&Padres opening day feels better than ever##&&Connect with the U-T##&&Sign Up for Email Alerts##&&News##&&Sports##&&Business##&&Entertainment##&&U-T TV##&&U-T Video##&&Military##&&Opinion##&&U-T Offers##&&Classifieds##&&Real Estate##&&Cars##&&U-T San Diego##&&About Us##&&Contact Us##&&U-T Store##&&Advertise with Us##&&Job Opportunities##&&Frequently Asked Questions##&&Privacy Policy##&&Terms Of Use##&&Subscription Information & Policies##&&Newspaper in Education##&&Connect with the U-T##&&Sign Up for Email Alerts##&&Help##&&Customer Service##&&Manage Subscription##&&Vacation Stop##&&Quick Links##&&Apps##&&Mobile##&&E-edition##&&Guides##&&Archives##&&Buy U-T Photo##&&Business Listings##&&Special Ad Sections##&&Forums##&&Crossword##&&Sudoku##&&Horoscope##&&Gas Prices##&&Lottery##&&WSRadio##&&U-T San Diego##&&Upgrade your browsing experience with a paid subscription to the U-T.##&&Subscribe##&&QUICK JYLLION SEARCHES:##&&• bobbi brown makeup##&&• beats by dre bubblegum pink##&&• ed hardy perfume##&&• acoustic guitar##&&• avery labels##&&The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC An MLIM Company All Rights Reserved Camino de la Reina, San Diego, CA