The Drought Is Over in California.
"This drought emergency is over, but the next drought could be around the corner," Brown said in a statement.
Lund exclaimed.
In the wake of the last prolonged drought, from 1987 to 1992, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California constructed a big reservoir in Riverside County to boost regional reserves.
In this drought we learned how much we can save outdoors," said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board, which had the prickly task of enforcing the urban cuts.
Nudged by generous turf rebates from water districts, homeowners up and down California ripped out their shriveled lawns and replaced them with succulents and drought-tolerant native plants.
A 2014 law requires regional agencies, over the course of the next two decades, to develop and implement plans to stop the chronic over-pumping that has depleted what amounts to California’s biggest reservoir: the vast Central Valley aquifer.
"It was only the third year of the drought and we got a groundwater law."
The state water board is developing water budgets for urban agencies that will go into effect in 2021.
If they fall short, in 2025 the board can start demanding conservation steps.