These Charts Show the Horrific Conditions That Forced California Into Water Rationing
State of despair
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California's governor has taken the unprecedented step of ordering mandatory water restrictions as the state's epic drought enters a fourth year.
The restrictions are severe—a 25 percent reduction in water use and a ban on new homes unless they feature water-efficient irrigation, among others. However, they should come as little surprise to anyone who has watched this drought unfold. Here are four charts that offer a glimpse at California's predicament, which by some measures has been the worst drought in at least 1200 years.