December has been one of the driest months ever recorded in California, which is spurring some cities and counties in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region to issue water conservation orders earlier than usual.
The Sacramento Bee reports that the city of Folsom has already imposed a mandatory 20-percent water conservation order, while Sacramento County has asked residents in unincorporated areas to reduce water use by 20 percent.
If no rain falls in the remaining days of 2013, it could rank as the driest calendar year in state history. While a drought has not yet been declared by Governor Jerry Brown, he has assembled a task force to monitor and study the issue.