Information taken from www.saveourh2o.org and http://ca.gov/drought/topstory/top-story-14.html Here in the upper Feather River Watershed the hint of fall colors, cooler temperatures, and a few autumn rain showers make it easy to forget we are still in a serious drought. But the fact remains that the drought is so severe throughout the state that Governor Brown just recently issued an executive order streamlining efforts to provide water to families in dire need. The order makes funding available through the California Disaster Assistance Act to provide water for drinking and sanitation to households currently without running water. This is hard to fathom for those in the upper watersheds who have not experienced such ominous conditions, and is a stark reminder that we must all continue to do our part to conserve water. Even in normal water years, some areas of the state find it difficult to meet all water demands. Water deliveries have been permanently reduced due to environmental concerns from some key water projects, while other systems struggle with aging infrastructure and other challenges. Major concerns include the ever growing state population creating more demand on our water supplies, while our supply is predicted to shrink by as much as 25% by 2050 due to changes in rain and snowfall patterns affecting the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. Experts say the changing precipitation patterns will result in longer periods of drought. Californians cannot continue to take their water supply for granted. While state and local leaders continue to work on long-term solutions to our water challenges, saving water on a daily basis helps to stretch our supply. In wet years, it helps keep water in reservoirs for the inevitable dry years to come. In dry times, like now, conservation is a critical tool to help ensure that we have enough water for our communities, environment, farms and other important parts of our economy. It’s easy for every Californian—young and old—to save water every day. The good news is there are lots of simple ways to reduce the amount of water we use at home, both inside and outside. If we all work together, we can make a difference for California’s future. Tour the California Urban Water Conservation Council’s interactive H2ouse at http://www.h2ouse.org/tour/index.cfm to learn more ways to save water indoors and outdoors!