Image 1 of 11 |California Drought  The lawn in front of the California State Capitol is seen dead on June 18, 2014 in Sacramento, California. As the California drought conitnues, the grounds at the California State Capitol are under a reduced watering program and groundskeepers have let sections of the lawn die off in an effort to use less water.  Image 1 of 11 - California Drought  The lawn in front of the California State Capitol is seen dead on June 18, 2014 in Sacramento, California. As the California drought conitnues, the grounds at the California State Capitol are under a reduced watering program and groundskeepers have let sections of the lawn die off in an effort to use less water.  The lawn in front of the California State Capitol is seen dead on June...18, 2014 in Sacramento, California. As the California drought...conitnues, the grounds at the California State Capitol are under a...reduced watering program and groundskeepers have let sections of the...lawn die off in an effort to use less water.  Image 2 of 11 |California Drought  In this Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, file photo, morning traffic makes it's way toward downtown Los Angeles along the Hollywood Freeway past an electronic sign warning of severe drought. Los Angeles has concluded another rain season with little to show for it. The National Weather Service says just 6.08 inches of rain was recorded downtown between July 1, 2013, and June 30. That's less than half the normal average of 14.93 inches and enters the books as the seventh-driest rain season since record-keeping began downtown in 1877. The previous rain season was worse, just 5.85 inches.  Image 2 of 11 - California Drought  In this Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, file photo, morning traffic makes it's way toward downtown Los Angeles along the Hollywood Freeway past an electronic sign warning of severe drought. Los Angeles has concluded another rain season with little to show for it. The National Weather Service says just 6.08 inches of rain was recorded downtown between July 1, 2013, and June 30. That's less than half the normal average of 14.93 inches and enters the books as the seventh-driest rain season since record-keeping began downtown in 1877. The previous rain season was worse, just 5.85 inches.  In this Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, file photo, morning traffic makes it's...way toward downtown Los Angeles along the Hollywood Freeway past an...electronic sign warning of severe drought. Los Angeles has concluded...another rain season with little to show for it. The National Weather...Service says just 6.08 inches of rain was recorded downtown between...July 1, 2013, and June 30. That's less than half the normal average of...14.93 inches and enters the books as the seventh-driest rain season...since record-keeping began downtown in 1877. The previous rain season...was worse, just 5.85 inches.  Image 3 of 11 |California Drought  In this May 6, 2014 photo, a horse grazes at a ranch near Merced County, Calif. In dry California, water is fetching record high prices. As drought has deepened in the last few months, a handful of special districts in the state's agricultural heartland have made millions through auctions of their private, underground caches that go to the highest bidders. With the unregulated, erratic water market heating up in anticipation of the hot summer months, the price is only going up. In the last five years alone, it has grown tenfold, shooting to as much as $2,200 an acre foot.  Image 3 of 11 - California Drought  In this May 6, 2014 photo, a horse grazes at a ranch near Merced County, Calif. In dry California, water is fetching record high prices. As drought has deepened in the last few months, a handful of special districts in the state's agricultural heartland have made millions through auctions of their private, underground caches that go to the highest bidders. With the unregulated, erratic water market heating up in anticipation of the hot summer months, the price is only going up. In the last five years alone, it has grown tenfold, shooting to as much as $2,200 an acre foot.  In this May 6, 2014 photo, a horse grazes at a ranch near Merced...County, Calif. In dry California, water is fetching record high...prices. As drought has deepened in the last few months, a handful of...special districts in the state's agricultural heartland have made...millions through auctions of their private, underground caches that go...to the highest bidders. With the unregulated, erratic water market...heating up in anticipation of the hot summer months, the price is only...going up. In the last five years alone, it has grown tenfold, shooting...to as much as $2,200 an acre foot.  Image 4 of 11 |California Drought  Groundskeeper Sanjay Ram, right,of the Department of General Services, waters plants lining the sidewalk around the state Capitol Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Sacramento, Calif. State water regulators are considering fines up to $500 for excessive water use for things like irrigating lawns and car washing due to the state's severe drought. State officials say conservation efforts so far aren't producing enough results.  Image 4 of 11 - California Drought  Groundskeeper Sanjay Ram, right,of the Department of General Services, waters plants lining the sidewalk around the state Capitol Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Sacramento, Calif. State water regulators are considering fines up to $500 for excessive water use for things like irrigating lawns and car washing due to the state's severe drought. State officials say conservation efforts so far aren't producing enough results.  Groundskeeper Sanjay Ram, right,of the Department of General Services,... waters plants lining the sidewalk around the state Capitol Tuesday,...July 8, 2014, in Sacramento, Calif. State water regulators are...considering fines up to $500 for excessive water use for things like...irrigating lawns and car washing due to the state's severe drought. ...State officials say conservation efforts so far aren't producing...enough results.  Image 5 of 11 |California Drought  A firefighter pulls a hose in position while battling the Cocos fire on May 15, 2014 in San Marcos, California. Fire agencies throughout the state are scrambling to prepare for what is expected to be a dangerous year of wildfires in this third year of extreme drought in California.  Image 5 of 11 - California Drought  A firefighter pulls a hose in position while battling the Cocos fire on May 15, 2014 in San Marcos, California. Fire agencies throughout the state are scrambling to prepare for what is expected to be a dangerous year of wildfires in this third year of extreme drought in California.  A firefighter pulls a hose in position while battling the Cocos fire...on May 15, 2014 in San Marcos, California. Fire agencies throughout...the state are scrambling to prepare for what is expected to be a...dangerous year of wildfires in this third year of extreme drought in...California.  Image 6 of 11 |California Drought  Santa Rosa resident Alexander Oceguera talks with, from left clockwise, Kelsey Merian of Windsor, Roxanne Zettler of Point Arena and Christina Mertensotto of Santa Rosa in a drought ravaged Russian River, Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg, Calif. A heat wave gripped California compounding the critical drought conditions across the state.  Image 6 of 11 - California Drought  Santa Rosa resident Alexander Oceguera talks with, from left clockwise, Kelsey Merian of Windsor, Roxanne Zettler of Point Arena and Christina Mertensotto of Santa Rosa in a drought ravaged Russian River, Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach in Healdsburg, Calif. A heat wave gripped California compounding the critical drought conditions across the state.  Santa Rosa resident Alexander Oceguera talks with, from left...clockwise, Kelsey Merian of Windsor, Roxanne Zettler of Point Arena...and Christina Mertensotto of Santa Rosa in a drought ravaged Russian...River, Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach in...Healdsburg, Calif. A heat wave gripped California compounding the...critical drought conditions across the state.  Image 7 of 11 |California Drought  Utility systems operator Joseph Overman checks on a leaking irrigation system at the home of Jackie Shurtleff, in Pleasanton, CA, Friday May 16, 2014. The city of Pleasanton has made it mandatory for it's residents to comply with a 25 percent reduction in water usage to help combat persisting drought conditions.  Image 7 of 11 - California Drought  Utility systems operator Joseph Overman checks on a leaking irrigation system at the home of Jackie Shurtleff, in Pleasanton, CA, Friday May 16, 2014. The city of Pleasanton has made it mandatory for it's residents to comply with a 25 percent reduction in water usage to help combat persisting drought conditions.  Utility systems operator Joseph Overman checks on a leaking irrigation...system at the home of Jackie Shurtleff, in Pleasanton, CA, Friday May...16, 2014. The city of Pleasanton has made it mandatory for it's ...residents to comply with a 25 percent reduction in water usage to help...combat persisting drought conditions.  Image 8 of 11 |California Drought  A woman works among drought-tolerant plants in her front yard Wednesday, July 9, 2014, in San Diego. Wasting water outdoors amid the state's drought will begin hitting Californians in the wallet under new restrictions being proposed by state regulators, with fines of up to $500 a day for overwatering front lawns or washing a car without a nozzle on the hose.  Image 8 of 11 - California Drought  A woman works among drought-tolerant plants in her front yard Wednesday, July 9, 2014, in San Diego. Wasting water outdoors amid the state's drought will begin hitting Californians in the wallet under new restrictions being proposed by state regulators, with fines of up to $500 a day for overwatering front lawns or washing a car without a nozzle on the hose.  A woman works among drought-tolerant plants in her front yard...Wednesday, July 9, 2014, in San Diego. Wasting water outdoors amid the...state's drought will begin hitting Californians in the wallet under...new restrictions being proposed by state regulators, with fines of up...to $500 a day for overwatering front lawns or washing a car without a...nozzle on the hose.  Image 9 of 11 |California Drought  In this May 3, 2014 file photo, Rigoberto Arroyo, 18, fishes from a canal in Mendota, Calif. Throughout California's dry interior, those with water to spare are cashing in on the drought. As a third dry summer forces farmers to fallow fields and lay off workers, three water districts in the state's agricultural heartland are making millions of dollars by auctioning off their private, underground caches to the highest bidders.  Image 9 of 11 - California Drought  In this May 3, 2014 file photo, Rigoberto Arroyo, 18, fishes from a canal in Mendota, Calif. Throughout California's dry interior, those with water to spare are cashing in on the drought. As a third dry summer forces farmers to fallow fields and lay off workers, three water districts in the state's agricultural heartland are making millions of dollars by auctioning off their private, underground caches to the highest bidders.  In this May 3, 2014 file photo, Rigoberto Arroyo, 18, fishes from a...canal in Mendota, Calif. Throughout California's dry interior, those...with water to spare are cashing in on the drought. As a third dry...summer forces farmers to fallow fields and lay off workers, three...water districts in the state's agricultural heartland are making...millions of dollars by auctioning off their private, underground...caches to the highest bidders.  Image 10 of 11 |California Drought  Young Steelhead Trout at dumped from a California Department of Fish and Wildlife tanker trunk into the American River on June 18, 2014 in Rancho Cordova, California. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials are evacuating young Steelhead Trout out of the Nimbus and American River hatcheries and into the American River due to a decline in the hatcheries' water supply from Lake Natomas. The warming weather has increased the temperature of the water and officials are concerned that the rising temperature could reach a level that is intolerable for young growing fish. Both hatcheries will be empty until October.  Image 10 of 11 - California Drought  Young Steelhead Trout at dumped from a California Department of Fish and Wildlife tanker trunk into the American River on June 18, 2014 in Rancho Cordova, California. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials are evacuating young Steelhead Trout out of the Nimbus and American River hatcheries and into the American River due to a decline in the hatcheries' water supply from Lake Natomas. The warming weather has increased the temperature of the water and officials are concerned that the rising temperature could reach a level that is intolerable for young growing fish. Both hatcheries will be empty until October.  Young Steelhead Trout at dumped from a California Department of Fish...and Wildlife tanker trunk into the American River on June 18, 2014 in...Rancho Cordova, California. California Department of Fish and...Wildlife officials are evacuating young Steelhead Trout out of the...Nimbus and American River hatcheries and into the American River due...to a decline in the hatcheries' water supply from Lake Natomas. The...warming weather has increased the temperature of the water and...officials are concerned that the rising temperature could reach a...level that is intolerable for young growing fish. Both hatcheries will...be empty until October.  Image 11 of 11 |California Drought  In this Feb. 4, 2014 file photo, a warning buoy sits on the dry, cracked bed of Lake Mendocino near Ukiah, Calif. The Legislature will revisit overhauling an $11.1 billion water bond measure that is scheduled to go before voters in November, when they return from a month long summer recess. Facing one of he most severe droughts in the state's history, lawmakers are negotiating a deal that funds projects that increases water supply and availability.  Image 11 of 11 - California Drought  In this Feb. 4, 2014 file photo, a warning buoy sits on the dry, cracked bed of Lake Mendocino near Ukiah, Calif. The Legislature will revisit overhauling an $11.1 billion water bond measure that is scheduled to go before voters in November, when they return from a month long summer recess. Facing one of he most severe droughts in the state's history, lawmakers are negotiating a deal that funds projects that increases water supply and availability.  In this Feb. 4, 2014 file photo, a warning buoy sits on the dry,...cracked bed of Lake Mendocino near Ukiah, Calif. The Legislature will...revisit overhauling an $11.1 billion water bond measure that is...scheduled to go before voters in November, when they return from a...month long summer recess. Facing one of he most severe droughts in the...state's history, lawmakers are negotiating a deal that funds projects...that increases water supply and availability.
We are mired in a historic drought; we already know that all too well. And climate change - NOAA just declared this past winter the warmest one on record - is compounding the drought. It's so bad, we're wondering what, exactly, will we drink as the water literally disappears? Among the