On Friday, April 7, Gov. Jerry Brown rescinded the state of emergency caused by the statewide drought, which he declared in January 2014. The emergency conditions were lifted for all but four counties — Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Tuolumne. In his press release, Brown said, “This drought emergency is over, but the next drought could be around the corner. Conservation must remain a way of life.” The Executive Order B-40-17 maintains water reporting requirements and prohibitions on wasteful practices, such as watering during or right after rainfall. The State Water Resources Control Board will maintain urban water use reporting requirements and prohibitions on wasteful practices such as watering during or after rainfall, hosing off sidewalks and irrigating ornamental turf on public street medians, according to the release. Also, the order maintains that the state will continue its work to develop a statewide response to the bark-beetle outbreak in drought-stressed forests that has killed millions of trees across California. Brown’s action had been anticipated after one of the wettest winters on record. Already, Pine Cove has received 37 inches of rain, nearly 50 percent more than the long-term annual average. Besides the winter precipitation, Californians statewide have made significant water reduction. Last week, the SWRCB also reported that statewide water conservation was 25 percent in February, more than double the February 2016 savings. The governor’s decision will have some, but not a major, effect on local…